Hush little Sister
by Insert a Catchy Penname Here
Summary: Hush little sister, don't you cry. Big brother's going to sing you your favorite lulluby. Hush little sister, don't your let tears stray. We'll be away from him one day...
1. Prolouge: Daddy Hurts

Hush little Sister

Author Note: I got inspired for this by reading **Time Goes on **by LaughingFreely. That story is forever in my heart, you HAVE to read it. Now, onward with the story!

Nine year old Kendell Knight's heart was shattered only further by watching his baby sister cry. She didn't understand why their dad was so dangerous, she didn't understand why he was always so violent. But she understood it hurt to be hit and beaten so much.

"Hush, baby sister," he went over to her, aching just as bad, "we're going to be fine."

"Daddy hurts," she whispered the only words she knew, "Daddy hurts bad."

"I know," tears stung his eyes, sitting the three year old in his lap, "but it'll get better."

"Daddy hurts," she wept, "daddy hurts, daddy hurts."

He entangled his trembling fingers in her hair and held her close. She curled in his chest, trembling hard. Taking her little arms, he got out the first aid kit and tended to her scars and wounds. She winced and cried all that harder, them still very sensitive. She twisted and squirmed and fought it, but he held on, having experience. When he finished, she ripped off the bandaids. He grabbed for her, but just scrambled back and shrunk against a corner. When he took her hand, she burst into sobs again and crumpled.

"Please, let me make you feel better," he pleaded, "I know it stings, but the outcome is good."

"Daddy?" she trembled, looking at him with questioning eyes.

He wanted to say yes, that he'd stop drinking. That'd he'd stop beating them for nothing. That he'd love them. But he couldn't lie to her.

"No, but we'll be fine," he stroked her bruising face, "we'll get a home and a real mommy and a real daddy."

"Daddy hurts," she shrank back.

"A daddy who doesn't hurt," he imagined that with such desire, "and a mommy who's alive." He knew that their father had killed their real one.

"Mommy hurt?" she whimpered.

"No, they'll love us," he promised, "forever and ever."

"Mommy and Daddy not hurt," she felt tears in her eyes, "but Daddy hurts."

"One day no more," he held her tight. She picked up the first aid kit, and he attended their wounds.

"Daddy no hurt," she sang, "daddy no hurt, daddy no hurt.."

He joined into the simple little song. Suddenly, the door of the tiny celler slammed where they had to stay.

"SHUT UP!" Carson Knight yelled bitterly.

Kate broke down in sobs, and her big brother held her tight against his chest.

"Hush little sister," only she could hear the words he sang, "don't you cry. Big brother's going to sing your favorite lullaby.."

Author Note: Please review!


	2. Loose Board

Hush little Sister 1

Author Note: Thanks for reviewing, guys! It means a lot to me! ^_^

Eleven year old Kendell was now addressing both of their new wounds after another session of brutal beatings. Katie was learning how to do her own wounds, and it killed him to teach her. No little innocent girl should have to be put through that kind of torture and agony. She deserved a better life. Maybe he did or didn't, but he had to protect her. He had to get her out of there.

"Where's home?" the five year old whispered.

"This is home," his voice trembled.

"No, I want home," she cried, "you promised!"

"Shhhhhh," he gathered her in his arms, "you always deserve better. I'll get you out of here."

"When?"

"As soon as I can," he shivered against her, trying to keep her warm in the cold little celler. He didn't have a plan or stragety, but at this point, he was willing to run with her and never look at him again.

So what if he died? If she was happy…it'd be enough. He hadn't seen a smile on her face in so long, he forgot what he looked like. But he remembered how happy he felt when she did. He felt excited and like he could do anything, like he'd accomplished his soul purpose in life. He recalled the time she did smile, the last time she smiled.

_Katie pouted, two years old as her brother watched a show. _

"_How is hockey boring?" he, eight, demanded, "it's AWESOME!" _

_She sulked until he started to wrestle her. Smiling widely, she did the same and shrieked with giggles. They were paused in mid play when their father stormed in. Surprising, the big brother got her off the floor. _

"_Where's Mommy?" she blinked, confused. He felt something wrong in his gut as his father's face turned more angry than before. _

"_She's gone," he growled, "she said I was no good. So I took care of her. Now you two are abiding by my rules. Got it?" _

"_What did you do to Mom?" Kendell demanded, fearful and knowing she wasn't coming back somehow. _

"_What?" Carmon boomed. _

"_No way!" he yelled back, "where's Mom!" _

"_Shut up!" he suddenly slammed his fist into his son's cheek, and he fell, wounded and surprised, "you WILL LEARN RESPECT!" His fists wounded his chest and face many, many times in a fury of pain. _

"_Yes sir," broken, he tried to get Katie away. Seeing her brother hurt made her start wailing. _

"_SHUT UP!" Carmon scratched across her eye, and Kendell screamed. She stumbled behind him, but he grabbed her and started to punch her gut. _

_Her big brother was slammed into the wall by his foot before he could help, and when he woke up, Katie was broken by him in the little cellar. _

"_Daddy hurts," she choked her first words. _

"_I know," tears stung his eyes as he found a first aid kit in the back of the tiny space. Slowly, he started to fix them up, "we'll get out of here. We will. I promise." _

"_Daddy hurts," she let tears go heavier. _

"_Hush little sister," he started to sing, and she relaxed, "don't you cry. Big Brother's going to sing you your favorite lullaby. Hush little sister, don't let those tears stray. We'll be away from him one day." _

"Kenny," she wrapped her arms around his neck, "home. Can we go home?"

"You and me will go home," he got misty eyes, "we will…I just need to get us a home…"

"Kids!" Carson was home.

He hugged her tight as their father came down. But through the pain of his fists he saw a little loose board on the doors of the cellar. He suddenly knew how to get at least her free. Now he just had to unattach her from him long enough for her too run.


	3. Daring Choice

Hush little Sister 3

When Kendall opened his eyes again, it was almost freezing in the cellar. That meant it was night, which meant his was time. Katie was clinging tightly to him, her head on his chest and tears drying on her cheeks. He sat up and shifted her into his arms, her own wrapped around his neck. Moving slowly on jelly legs, he took the steel latter from the floor and put it to the two wooden doors. Climbing slowly with his precious cargo, he got to the top eventually.

His hand searched for the loose board carefully. Finally, he felt a piece of wood move and pushed to the right. The stars shown above him, and his hand snaked out. Now it felt for the bolt that trapped them in there with growing impatience. When he grasped it, he yanked as hard as he could against the old rusted thing. It was enough surprisingly, and he pushed the doors open.

He moved even more slowly now as he climbed out. The lights of the little house before them were out, but Carson could be faking it. Breathing heavily and silently, the eleven year old set Katie down on the grass and shook her, trying to avoid her wounds. Her hand touched his face, and he put a finger to her lips before she tried to talk.

"We're getting out of her," his voice was in her ear and soft, "we have to be very quiet and slow. Hold my hand, alright?"

He felt her nod before rising slowly, feeling her grasp one hand. The two siblings moved very quietly across the yard. It wasn't large, but it took forever to get to the wide gates. He instructed her to stay put as he felt for the lock on that wood. He moved all around it and couldn't find a thing. Worried now, he frantically felt around, moving faster. That was his mistake.

A flashlight beam hit him, and he froze in mid feel. Carson's angry, tired eyes flashed in the light as he stood half naked on the porch. Kendall knew Katie was still out there, and he was so close to freedom to let this guy get him. His mind raced almost as fast as his heart as the drunken man stumbled to him. His legs wouldn't move, he was paralyzed.

"Kenny!" Katie's wail broke him free.

He darted across, not seeing anything against the darkness and blinded by fear. Carson couldn't focus in his drunken state, which Kendall used as a defense. He followed the sound of his sibling's weeping to scoop her up.

"Daddy hurts," she shook hard, fearing the same thing he did.

"We're going home," he touched her cheek in comfort before running, "just hold on." She clung tightly, which hurt him in all his bruises and scars, but right now he was on a mission.

Deciding that looking for that stupid lock was pointless now, he felt his way to a tree. Carson's flashlight was sweeping everywhere, and he kept falling and bending to avoid it. When he felt the old bark, he clawed his way upward, grasping the branches and pulling himself with unknown strength.

When he could see the streetlights just a little above, he sighed in relief. They were almost there. But the new problem was that he couldn't reach the fence from his branch, and if he jumped, he and Katie would become part of the asfault. Carson's flashlight beam was coming closer to him, and he made a heartbreaking choice.

"Katie," he made her look in his eyes, "I want you to grab for the next person who comes by on the other side of the fence. Scream for help and tell him I'm trapped. Please, it's our only choice."

"Daddy hurts?"

"Even worse than before,"

Shuddering like him, she whimpered, "Kenny." She grasped his hair, her message clear.

"If you do this, we'll both go home," he swore, "please, Katie."

She turned and squinted in the streetlight. She opened her mouth to say something, but that's when someone passed right in front of them. Sending up a quick prayer, the older sibling threw her toward the person. The flashlight blinded him, and he lost his balance.

The ground was painful, even more so because it hit on his back wounds. The preteen could barely move as Carson stumbled his way quicker. He must have been getting back his focus, because now he was cursing and using death threats.

"Ungrateful little runts," he snatched his neck, which made the boy choke out his wail, "I keep you alive and you run!"

"Because you're…not…my father…" Kendall kicked out, which made his grip loosen. Clawing wildly, he got his neck free and ran, stumbling and not thinking straight at all.

_Where is she? _He was terrified at the thought he'd missed and she was gone.

"Katie!" he screamed with almost no voice, "Katie, Katie! Help! Somebody, help!"

Suddenly, something collided painfully with his face. He flew backwards, fearing it was Carson's fist. It sure hurt bad enough for it to be. He felt the blood on his forehead running, and he choked out a strangled, tortured cry.

"Please!" he croaked, attempting to shield himself, "no!"

Another flashlight beam hit his face, blinding him. Exhausted and giving up, the male let go of conscienceness as he was lifted up.


	4. Officer Johnson

Hush little Sister 4

"Is he going to wake up?" Katie whimpered as she felt around her brother.

"Soon, dear," the police man patted her head, muttering so she couldn't hear, "the sooner the better."

Officer Johnson himself had caught the girl. She'd wailed that 'Daddy hurt' and that 'Kenny was dying inside'. He'd gone in, feeling something was wrong upon hearing the screams. When he'd opened the gate door, he'd hit the running boy with the door.

_He used a select word as he blocked the charging drunken man. _

_"Who are you?" the man demanded, and he got a punch in this face. _

_Ticked at this, he pulled out his flashlight and looked at Carson. He knew he was drunk, and then he saw the kids bruises. _

_"Your under arrest," and when he resisted, he got tazered. _

Kendall woke up with a gasp, sitting up sharply and instantly wincing with pain. Officer J steadied him with gentle yet strong hands, making him look in his eyes.

"Alright, kid," he spoke firmly, "my name is Officer Johnson and your at a hospital. Now, I want you to relax and tell me exactly what's been going down."

"Where's.." the boy managed, blinking and trying to focus on the light, "my sister?"

"Kenny!" the girl threw her arms around him, sobbing in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and started checking for any more damage.

"Well...my name is Kendall John Jones" the preteen finally managed, "this is my little sister Katie Joe Jones, and we've been abused by our father Carson Kendall Jones..."

XXXXXXXX

Officer Johnson was grave after hearing of the two younger's tragic tale. He listened to it all, writing notes and nodding. Kendall was very leader-like and looked brave for the girl's sake, though he saw the fear in his wild eyes. When he finished giving the report, his boss, Captain Lillion, looked at him sternly.

"I am surprised we overlooked them," she looked guilty, "I think we owe them a lot more than we've own many for so long. I am trusting that you watch over them and help the heal. Get them a theropist and a real home."

"I am a second in command officer," the Negro didn't like this idea, "not a babysitter. This is why I don't have kids."

"You don't have a wife, either," she countered calmly but firmly, "it's time for you to learn a little compassion."

"Girls," he grumbled, face reddening.

"Dismissed," she blocked him out with that.

He mumbled to himself bitterly as he headed back to the hospital in his car. Why should he have to do it? Most of their unit were mothers or at least female, and he had the least enthusisatic about playing Mom. But it was for the greater good, so he could tolerate it for a little while. But those kids wouldn't want him around, and their anger and resentment would speed up the process of getting them out of his hair.

When he reached the room door, a doctor came out first. He looked truly touched, and had tears in his eyes. The police man raised an eyebrow at the man he'd always known as a tough hearted son of a gun.

"What's with the water works, Thomas?" he questioned.

"Those children are something else, Jackson," Thomas sniffed a little, "you should open your eyes long enough to see the true magic."

It wasn't too late to run back. But Lillian was his boss, and he loved his job...most of the time. So he could just tolerate it for a bit. Maybe a week, two weeks tops. He pressed his ear against the door, trying to see what his friend had meant before he had to go in there. He heard their voices, soft and shaky.

"I wanna go home Kenny," the girl whispered...Katie, "you said we'd go home."

"I don't know where it is..." his voice replied gently, "but these people are going to take care of us and get us the best home ever."

"Mommy? Daddy?" she questioned.

"Yes," the man knew he was nodding, "and they won't hurt."

"Daddy no hurt.." he heard the softness in her voice, and the longness of which he'd never heard in any little girl's voice, "Mommy..."

It was then he entered, and his heart shattered instantly when they turned. Her face was now more visably bruised, and her eyes looked so hopeful and glistened so daintly. They were innocent and looked suddenly older for a moment, like she was seeing something with such desire it was almost real. And his eyes looked a thousand years older, like he'd just come out of war. But when he fixed them on her they sparkled with the love of no other, like all he wanted out of life was for her to be happy.

"Mommy? Daddy?" she requested hopefully to the thirty one year old, "home?"

"Soon, baby sister," Kendall hushed her, "we don't know him yet, anyway."

"Hurt?" she cringed at him.

"No," both spoke as the same voice, and Kendall backed off out of respect as he kissed her cheek.

"Let's see how you feel about a real bed," Jackson hiestantly picked them up, "some fresh clothes, a bath, and...a little home."


	5. Keep her safe

Hush little Sister 5

Kendall loathed being embarrassed.

Which of course meant he couldn't stand crying.

Which of course meant that he had to break down in front of Jackson and Katie the second he got in the door of Jackson's loft.

He watched the water fill the clean pale blue tub, already feeling his muscles react with the smoking steam. It was painful. It was a new kind of painful inside that couldn't be stopped. But when it was over it felt so _right _he just kept making the water hotter. When the tub couldn't fill anymore, he plunged himself in, clothes and all. He scrambled back out, gasping and collapsing, shaking violently on the floor.

The burns opened his scars and wounds everywhere. He writhered, not able to feel and the numbness eating away at his conscienceness. He couldn't open his throat to scream as the water poured down the sides, the blood from hitting his head on the toilet seat mixing in with it. He saw blackness before the knob of the bathroom handle fully turned.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jackson was none too pleased at the huge mess he'd had to clean up in his bathroom. But he was more concerned with the boy. All this time he'd been strong for his little sister, acting like things weren't a living Hades and that somebody would want them. But just now he saw what was going on inside.

Kendall was falling apart at the sems. He was used to so much pain he was always bringing it upon himself, a self harmer. He didn't know what love really meant and couldn't bear to see Katie like him. He was constantly making sure she was fine and promised her self harm and pain wasn't the answer. She didn't know this, but if she was asleep and the pain overwhelmed him, he'd fall apart silently, letting the thickening depression kill him more inside. A few times he'd even cut himself.

The preteen opened his heavy eyelids, feeling a shudder run through him. He was patched up all over his body, only feeling immense soreness and extreme tiredness. He could barely move with the stiffness, and he breathed softly and heavily. Jackson had been straightened his hair when he'd woken.

"Son, you can't keep beating yourself. We can get you away from harm," he sat him up and looked him dead in the eye, "just let us take care of you and your little sister. Both of you are going to be fine."

"You wouldn't know," the blonde choked out, managing the words against this large, armed man, "the pain…it's like it's a part of me. I can not feel the good now, not after all the damage. I can't stop myself, it's as if my feelings control me. I'm a wreck and depressed, why try to help?"

This boy had been through it all now at such a young age. He sounded too old for his body and his age, but it was true. Jackson knew this boy had something locked inside of him. And he was the one to get it upon. Destiny rang in his ears as fate took control. The two males looked in each other's eyes for such a time they're eyes watered faster than as if they were crying.

Underneath the moisture and dangerous glint, the Negro saw the pain in his multicolored eyes. There was something underneath this shell that Carson had built around him. It was time to find out just what this boy was.

"Kenny," Katie stumbled in, finally escaping the maid who'd been trying to bathe her. She had her clothes on backwards and her hair was sudsy, but she got up on the bed to have him cradle her.

"She's not going to hurt you," he promised.

"Not hurt?" the young girl questioned, and the officer saw the trust in her eyes.

"I wouldn't let her," he kissed some wet, not so-bubbly hair, "go on. It'll be fine, you'll feel better."

She slowly climbed off the quilts to exit with the relived looking maid. Officer Johnson rubbed under his eyes and looked back at the blonde. He was on his back, another painful shudder running through him.

"Keep her safe," he almost mouthed, "keep my Katie safe."

"That's your job," he smiled just a tad, patting a wrist, "we're going to help you do it. Rest, son. The first step in your journey is to heal completely. You will be completely dependent on us until you're healthy."

"Keep her safe," he coughed, "just keep her safe and get me out of here."

"Sleep," Jackson responded. He watched as the true man out of the battlefields of Hades closed his eyes and mouthed three little words.

_Keep her safe _


	6. Whatever you want

Hush little Sister 6

"No," Katie gripped Kendall's leg tightly, burying her face into his jeans. A month had marched on for both of them, healing.

"Come on, he's a good man," Jackson knelt to the small child. They were outside of the therapist's office, and he was said to be the best in help and healing emotionally.

"No," she clung on tighter.

"I trust him," Kendall took her up and let her cling to his neck, which only had a few scars on the back, "come on, Officer Johnson hasn't done anything wrong to us. He wouldn't hurt us."

She nodded slowly, putting her face in his neck as they went up the hill into the small building. Inside was a cold tile pink floor and pictures of bunnies and sunshine decorated the white wall. There was a large tan desk into the wall, and the lady behind it was reading something. When the two approached, she looked up with gray eyes and checked her laptop.

"Jones?" she inquired in a tone that said she didn't give a crap about who it was.

"Yes," Jackson nodded, sitting on a pale green chair as another lady came out from behind the counter.

She looked more friendly with black hair that curled down her back and big blue eyes. She smiled at them, and Kendall saw a few missing teeth and bunch of silver teeth. When she waved them in, her red dress sleeve that went to her wrist went up a little. A huge purple bruise was there, looking old. She quickly ushered them now, knowing they'd seen.

"He'll be right in," she reached to touch Katie's cheek, and it looked as if she was reliving a painful past in her eyes.

"Mam, were you abused?" the preteen questioned.

Her eyes went misty as she nodded, "My husband tried…but he's gone…gone…" She went out, tears rolling, and the two sibling shuddered.

"Poor lady," Katie commented his thoughts.

"But she's here, so…maybe she's good now," he tried to make himself believe that they wouldn't be like that after this.

That's when the therapist came in. He had short black hair and circle-framed small glasses on the bridge of his nose. He was clad in a white robe, blue jeans, and brown dress shoes. When he smiled at them, he muddy brown eyes sparkled a little, beaming with friendlessness.

"Ello," he spoke in a British-Irish accent, "ma' name is Zohn Plum. I am a meenteall therapist." Translation: My name is John Plum. I am a mental therapist.

"My name is Kendall Jones," the oldest sibling took his outstretched hand, "and this is my sister Katie Jones."

"I see," he spoke in his odd accent, but it's what he meant, "now, why don't we get to know each other? The first step is to know we don't have to afraid of each other or the world. Like, my favorite color is peach. What is yours?"

Backing up a little on the doctor-style bed that the lady had put the two on, the male replied, "Red."

"And why is that? Peach is my because it's the color of my home."

He didn't really want to answer that, but he softly replied, "It reminds me of blood."

The man looked surprised at that, but he faced his sister. "And what about you, sweetheart?"

"Blue. It reminds me of tears,"

Now that _really _took him off guard. He straightened his collar on the robe and cleaned off his glasses. Once he recovered, John went on to ask them more questions about themselves. All of their answers took him off guard and only made his heart pang.

Ex. "Who is your favorite person in the world?" "Kenny, because he saves me and helps me feel good." "Officer Johnson, because he's helped me not hurt myself."

By the end of that round, he finally understood what Jackson had meant when he said they were special. He'd never gone through that kind of pain or ever had such fear of the world. Even now their eyes moved around the room, like they were waiting for something to attack. Like wild, terrified animals who'd come out of war. They'd been through a lot, and he was determined to try and help as best he could.

"There's nothing to be afraid of in the world," he sat down on his chair, facing them, "there are certain things you should be afraid of, like your father. But many, many people are not like that. I promise you that so much of us don't want to hurt you. You don't have to be afraid of me or everybody all the time."

"Yeah, right," he heard Kendall mutter.

"Why do you think that, son?" he was a very patient man.

The younger male flinched and wouldn't answer.

"'Cause Daddy told us that," Katie's voice trembled and cracked, "and he hurt! Daddy hurt!"

"He told us it was our fault…" the eleven year old trembled a bit, "..and that we didn't deserve happiness because we were runts and brats…and that we made Mom die…"

"Kenny, is it true?" the five year old's eyes glistened.

"No, he's a monster," the boy didn't look so sure, though, "not us."

"Your brother's right," John nodded, it breaking his heart that they believed these words, "your father is the only beast. But you two are safe now. And everybody deserves happiness, and even more so you two."

"Right…" both of them stared at the floor.

"Home?" the brown haired girl suddenly questioned him.

"Soon. Be patient, baby sister," the blonde stroked her hair, and she started to sob.

"I want home! We're never going to have home!" she shook hard, like all her life was going down the drain and all the hope she'd had.

"We are.." he looked like he was trying to calm her fears while he was trying not to cry, "…I promised you…"

"Lier!" she was falling apart at the sems. She got out of his grasp and stumbled toward the door quickly.

But she crashed into the object, collapsing on the floor. She crumpled into a sobbing heap, and they could almost see her heart shattering. Her big brother lifted her up, tears falling were she couldn't see.

"Whatever you want," he whispered, yanking open the door and running out. John had never seen anything like them, and he was so moved he just couldn't bring himself to stop him trying to help his sister heal.

"Kids!" Officer Johnson's cry came when his assignments rushed out of the door. He caught a glimse of Katie's eyes before they'd gone, and he felt his heart shatter into millions of pieces.

They were tear-filled and wide. But there was no life within them, and he suddenly understood why the hope was gone for her for good.


	7. You can't see

Hush little Sister 7

Author Note: Okay, I am officially addicted to this story!

"We're getting a home?" Katie inquired as her brother carried her.

"Whatever you want," he kissed her face and twirled her around, "come on, you need to walk."

"You happy," the corners of her mouth twitched as her eyes got a sparkle.

"Well, so are you," he enjoyed this feeling, "when you smile, so do I."

Then it happened. She broke into a wide grin, nose crinkling and pumpkin teeth showing wide. He laughed, and both of them laughed for no apparent reason hysterically. He held his ribs as she rolled around on the hill, squealing a bit. Kneeling down, he proceeded to tickle her, which made her giggle. For a moment, everything was just perfect in the world.

"Come on, let's get going," he knew she was too heavy for him to carry up the hill, so he started up, "you got it."

He was halfway up when he realized she wasn't behind him. She was groping, holding a flower tightly.

"Coming?" he called down.

"Where are you?" he knew something was wrong. He wasn't that far away, and she was stumbling around. He slid down in front of her face.

"Here," he touched her cheek. She grasped his hand and shook.

"I can't see…" she whimpered, "why can't I see?"

He knew it was then this was Carson's fault. He felt so enraged, like he was going to murder him. Eyes filling, knowing she couldn't see, he grabbed her tight.

"Your blind.." he choked.

Her eyes were foggy and misty, now that he saw. She felt him shaking and reached for his face. Taking her hands, he kissed her nose.

"We're going to fix you," he swore, "and get a home. Okay?"

"I love you," she wept, "I want to see you!"

"And you will," he held her up, "I'm going to kill Daddy."

And what she said next made him almost die.

"Then let me help."


	8. Discovery

Hush little Sister 8

Author Note: I am SO GLAD you guys like this story. This is a shoutout to redshirtedgirl, too! Thanks for being so supportive, you really know how to flatter a girl! ^_^ And plz, no cursing in the reviews! Thanks!

"Are we there yet?" Katie inquired as Kendall carried her on his back. Months had passed, and he's been searching them a real home and carrying for his blind sister. As soon as she was safe, he'd kill Carson and then get her eyes fixed.

You could really see what time had done to him now. His eyes were wild and hungry, like he was ready to attack the next moving object. His body was covered in new wounds from the streets, and his ribs showed from the severe hunger. It'd gotten so severe that food tortured his stomach. Katie was in much better shape, despite her disability.

Kendall had decided to kick it in overdrive to help her out. He gave whatever food he got to her and often shielded her from the weather or blocked her ears from the cruel laughs from people. He carried her everywhere and didn't let anybody near her. He'd gotten in so many fights and so much depression that she was the only reason he stuck around.

Despite his efforts, he knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it at her age. She needed proper nourishment and a home. He refused to sleep if she was sick and her eyes ached. He was terrified she'd become blind forever and she'd die before they could fix them. If she died…so would he.

"I don't know," he squinted in the thickening fog, "be patient."

She squirmed and pouted a little. He shifted her to his arms and sighed at her unhappy face. He longed for another day like a few months ago, both happy and healthier. He felt her stomach growl in his hands, and he kissed her forehead.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" he whispered in her ear.

"I don't care," she sulked, tears forming, "I want to see you."

"You gotta eat for me," he set her on a bench and looked for a stand to have to rob, "it'll help us fix your eyes."

"How?" she inquired, groping for his hand.

Pressing her hand to his face, he mumbled, "I'll show you one day." His eyes rested on a hotdog stand, and his stomach moaned his agreement.

But before he could get there, a police car screetched in front of him on the street. People screamed, and he couldn't see Katie in the rushing crowd. A hand like iron gripped his neck suddenly, and he flew above many heads. Jackson's eyes flared directly in his.

"Where's your sister?" his voice didn't sound pleased.

"I wish I knew!" he started to fight him, "let me down, crazy!"

Instead he threw the eleven year old in the back of his car, slamming the door. After an endless minute Katie was once more in his lap, and they were screaming down the highway. The silence was killing them both.

"What's going on, Kenny?" Katie whispered in his ear when she found it.

"Officer Johnson found us," he grumbled.

He had mixed feelings about this. The good part was that maybe Katie could have her eyesight back and they could have a home. The bad part was that he was mad at them and now they had to go back to John. And the jealous part was that Katie's face lite up a little at the sound of name. Kendall wanted her to himself and not have to share her with anybody. He didn't trust anyone enough, and sometimes he didn't even trust himself. That's how important she was to him.

"What made you do such a thing?" Jackson was scolding the preteen later that night when Katie was asleep, "she's blind now and your both half dead..what were you thinking?"

"I want her to be happy," Kendall was trying not to scream, "that is _all _I've ever wanted. So I took her away so she could be with me. I've kept her safe and happy the best I could. She is _my _Katie. And I am her hero and idol and I would give the world up to see her happy again. I was going to get her a home and then fix her eyes. We were going to get through this together. But then you came along and ruined it."

"Ruined it?" the Negro raised his eyebrow, getting angrier, "I saved you both. I'm trying to help and you better be grateful."

"Better be?" the blonde stood up in his seat over his desk, eyes glaring daggers, "BETTER BE? Let me tell you something, buddy. You will _never _touch my sister again if you're like that. You will _not _hurt her by making her love you and then you leaving. And so _you _better stop this 'better be' crap and be grateful _I AM STAYING WITH YOU! I WILL RUN AWAY AGAIN IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP HER SAFE! YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOUR JOB!_" He was screaming by the end three sentences.

"I'm also the reason you're alive!" Jackson was yelling as well, "if it wasn't for me you'd still be with him!"

"Bull crap!"

"I care about you and your sister!"

"BULL CRAP!"

The officer took his shaking shoulder, making him look in his eyes, "Look, soon you'll never have to see me again. All I'm asking is that you put up with me a little while longer."

The boy's supports for his depression and grief and fear collapsed right then. He felt awful for how he acted, just because…well, he didn't know. His legs betrayed him, and he fell out of his seat. He sobbed onto the floor, coughing and feeling sick and just falling apart. Jackson pulled him up when he lost conscienceness and laid him beside his sister.

"What's going on?" he watched in the doorway as Katie spoke, having been roused by the nose. She touched his cheek and whimpered at the tearstains.

"I'm okay, it's just fine," her big brother woke up instantly to cradle her, "I was just..mad for a second."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"If you're hurt, it matters," she sounded just like him.

Both of the male's eyes filled as the blonde took her in his arms.

"Not anymore," he swore, "I'm fine now. Now, sleep, baby sister."

"Kenny, I love you," she curled up beside him.

"Hush little sister, don't you fear," Jackson's eyes widened at Kendall's singing voice, "big brother's going to dry all your tears. Don't you stay awake, just have dreamful sleep. I love you every day of the week. Our bond is unbreakable, I know that you can see. Hush little sister, just relax. We'll get a home, I promised that."

She was asleep now, and the man watched as he curled beside her to sleep as well. He shut the door without a sound and quickly went to his home office. It was time to make some phone calls.


	9. Meeting the annoying three

Hush little Sister 9

"Please just trust me," Jackson was close to getting on his knees to beg. Kendall stubbornly wouldn't get at out of the car, holding Katie tight in his lap, "you're future lies in here!"

"Bull crap," he backed a little further up as he gazed at the building.

It was humongous, for starters. It was pale blue and white with sparkly windows and the picture-perfect image of any music company. The sounds inside were both repulsing and magical. One second you'd hear a horrid screetching of some sort amplified with joining backup, then you'd hear the same words in a musical lullaby.

"Are we at the zoo?" Katie started to grope a little, and Jackson gave a two-second smile at her question.

Kendall grasped her hands and replied, "I don't want to know."

"What will it take then?" Jackson was bound to get him in there somehow. Ever since the past night, he'd decided to try and be gentle and not force him and his sister into anything.

Maybe a better, positive bond would make things easier.

But before the blonde could say 'Nothing', he heard a panicky sounding voice followed by a crazy laugh and a cry of anger. Jackson rubbed under his eyes and groaned a little.

"Of all days.." he mumbled.

"What is that?" the boy demanded, curious.

"Get out," the man spoke through clenched teeth, "and I'll show you."

Slowly and carefully, the preteen lifted his sibling off of his lap onto the pavement and followed, shutting the door quickly before pulling her up in his arms. The two males walked a little distance, away from the fountain with blue water and pretty stones on the bottom with a few fish. Kendall knew how much Katie liked pretty things, so he dipped her hand in.

"This is fountain water," he explained as she felt the fish and rocks.

"I wish I could see how pretty it is," she looked sad for a moment before brightening, "but I will. Right, Kenny?"

"Right," he wouldn't look at Jackson's uncertain gaze and was glad she couldn't see that.

"…this is bad, this is very bad…" the worried voice grew clearer as they neared the back of the building.

Even back there it was breathtaking. There was tile over the concrete that glistening with wax, and a big canopy was over it, colored with a rainbow, making the colors reflect as stars across the outdoor space. Lounging chairs were pushed aside along with bins. The preteen wasn't sure why anybody would want to hang out here, but still.

He soon got his answer.

There were three boys back there, one looking a year younger than the other two. The youngest had black hair and big worried coco eyes, and he wore black slacks and a colored red polo along with dress shoes. He was pacing around, wringing his hands and biting his lower lip. The second boy was the pretty one. His bronze-brown hair was perfect and gelled, and his eyes were beautiful like his face. He wore a blue polo and khakis, but his shoes were shed in a pile along with his socks and probably sanity. The last one was the crazy one. He wore a blue-black helmet over crazy black hair, and his dark eyes shown excitement and wildness. Whatever nice outfit he may have had one was gone and now was replaced with a grungy skull t-shirt and ratty blue jeans, no shoes. He was gripping the edges of an old store buggy, sitting on the edge and jiggling with energy.

"What if you get hurt?" the youngest was pleading with the other two.

"He'll be fine," the pretty one ran a comb through his flawless hair, "I mean, he always is. You're such a worrier."

"You give me reason!" the youngest turned to the crazy, "Carlos, don't do this! You're a crazy person!"

"I am ready for some thrills," the crazy one, Carlos, bounced again, making a rusted wheel almost cave, "push me already!"

"I can't," he retreated.

"Logan!" he whined, "fine then! James, push me!"

"Are you crazy?" the pretty one, James, looked at his fingers, "I just go my nails done."

"Man, kill joy!" Carlos suddenly caught sight of the three, and Kendall instantly tensed, holding Katie's face in his chest and patting her head gently, signaling for her to be quiet, "hey, you! Help a guy out, huh?"

"Officer, please talk some sense into him," Logan begged Jackson.

"Sorry," Jackson's face was steel and annoyed, "I don't think I speak idiot."

Not wounded by these words, the Latino held his hands out to his age equalivant, "Come on, man! You're with the cop, so you must be a community service dude! Push me and aid me."

"Stop bugging him," James rolled his eyes, "push yourself."

Kendall took a step back and held his sister tight, "I don't think so." But before he could duck away, he saw James' eyes fall on her.

"Dude," he stared, blinking, "is that your sister?"

The blonde pulled her on his back, and she clung tight, whimpering. He shifted, ready to lunge out and attack at any second, like an animal.

"Stay back," his voice was dangerous, and the pretty boy blinked and didn't move.

"What's your name, sweetie?" he asked the five year old.

"Katie," she replied, and her big brother hushed her gently and handed her to Jackson.

"Keep her safe," he didn't wait for a response before he had the other shoved against the wall, fists clenched around his shirt and knuckles digging in, "I'm only going to say this once so listen close. If you look at my sister, you're dead. If you talk to my sister, you're dead. If you try to play with my sister, you're dead. If you think about my sister, you're dead. Got it?"

"Got it, dude," he held up his hands, looking afraid.

"You're thinking about her," the older brother of the child swung him away from the wall, "you're dead." His fist flew out to collide with his face.

Suddenly, he was knocked off his feet. The Latino was ontop of him, pinning him on the ground. He picked him up by the shirt to pin him against the wall, but Kendall started fighting now. He kicked him down in under thirty seconds to try and get James. Logan grabbed his ankle, making him fall in mid-lunge. He growled, feeling the new wound forming. He looked on the edge of a heart attack as he approached.

"Violence is not the answer!" he begged, "he does that all the time to everyone! Please, don't kill him!"

"He's dead," still angry, the stubborn preteen launched himself out at him once more.

James fought back this time, managing to wrestle him into Carlos's grasp. Together, both of the boys managed to get him down, Carlos's legs wrapped around his middle so he couldn't thrash his legs and James holding his hands above his head. He looked at the pinned down one's nails and recoiled.

"Ever heard of clippers?" he made a face, and Logan stumbled over, shaking like crazy.

"Please just don't hurt us," he pleaded to him, "we won't bother you or your sister again if you let us live."

"You're talking to a boy who is at our will," Carlos reminded him, "he should be begging _us _to not beat him to a pulp."

"Yeah," even though he wasn't as tough as his friend, James was still ready to fight this guy who'd ruined his manicure.

The two stared at the blonde, and their message was clear: They weren't letting go until they saw some begging. He fought against them, which only made them grip tighter. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jackson set Katie down, tell her to stay perfectly still, and go inside. He gulped, wanting to scoop her up again and make sure she was still alright. He didn't want to look weak or anything in front of her, and even more so to these crazy boys.

"Please let me go," he spoke lifelessly to them.

"You have to get into it!" Carlos didn't look satisfied.

"Give him a break!" Logan face palmed and started pacing, "please?"

"Fine," James let go of his wrists and his friend did the same, "kill joy."

"Kenny!" Kendall forgot all about destroying those two when his sister cried out for him. He instantly had her in his arms, cradling her as she felt his face.

"Where had Officer Johnson gone?" she inquired, "where had you gone?"

"Just dealing with some people," he shot the two a glare that spoke to them: _You die slowly later. _

"Are you okay?" her hands ran over his narrowed eyebrows, "they bad?"

"Very," he nodded, "tell me if you hear any of their voices and I'll take care of it. Got it?"

"Got it," she clung to him, and he walked off inside with her in tow, leaving the three to look at each other in confusion and a little offense.

"Geez," James finally spoke, "what was _his _problem?"


	10. Sing for me

Hush little Sister 10

In the building, Jackson was waiting with a lady. She looked a lot like Carlos, only her hair was a deep brown in a ponytail and she was a lot prettier. She smiled at him under her make up, offering her hand.

"My name is Sasha Garcia," she introduced herself, "and you must be Kendall Jones."

Staring at the hand, he nodded before slowly taking it in his own, "Yes mam."

"Come along dear," she gave him an assuring smile, "there's nothing to worry about. We're here to help you out."

"And how is that?" he countered quickly, looking at Jackson questioningly and pointingly. If these people were _anything _like those three….

By this time they'd gone down the solid white hallway and were now entering a recording room. There was a booth in front of about a million controls and two chairs, and there was a chair in the booth with a big microphone. She sat in one of the two chairs and beckoned Jackson to do the same.

"Please step into the booth," she told Kendall, and he shook his head when Jackson reached for Katie.

"Please let us help," he told the boy, "not just you but Katie, too."

"Kenny?" she touched his cheek, "go."

He bit his lower lip and went in, grumbling. Hopping on the wooden bench, he crossed his arms and waited. When Sasha's voice came in on the speakers, he about fell out of his seat in surprise.

"Three bucks says he cries like a baby," James whispered in Carlos's ear. The trio were secretly spying in the air ducts, all squashed and watching the new kid.

"You're on," the two shook hands.

"Why do you have to do that with everyone?" Logan sighed, "now shut up, he's about to sing."

"Just sing 'Twinkle twinkle little Star' for me, dear," she instructed the recovering preteen.

He looked at Jackson, who just nodded. Shrugging, he sang it with confiedence and like he used to when Katie saw the stars through the doors. When he finished, he saw the lady dab her eyes. After he sang a lot more pointless classics, he squirmed impatiently.

"Let me see my Katie," he demanded in the mic.

"Kenny," her small voice spoke, and his eyes widened.

"Hang on, one more song so I can record," she hit a button, "I need you to give me an original song. Something that you made up."

He blinked and stared at Jackson a second, horrified. When he finally came out of it, he managed to sing.

"Hush little sister, don't you fear…"

"He's good," James commented, "not as good as me, but good."

"Pay up," Carlos shoved out his hand, wanting his cash. Instead he got a handful of string, and he whined, "Man, you cheated out again!"

"They'll hear us," Logan bit his lower lip as the two started to push each other.

Suddenly, one of the screws of the already one-unscrewed vent popped out. All three of them fell into the studio, making all three seeing humans to stare and for Katie to blink, alarmed.

"Kenny?" she called, concerned.

"Carlos Pena Garcia!" Sasha rose, looking annoyed and tired, "gah, why must you always do this?"

"We…were going to help?" Carlos shrank under the gaze of his mother.

"Yeah," James led the other two around Kendall, who looked angry, "come on, everybody, sing! Twinkle twinkle..guys!"

"Twinkle, twinkle…" the three started to sing, their eyes begging the blonde to join, who did bitterly, "little star, how I wonder what you are…"

"Enough," Sasha raised her hands, opening the door and entering, "silly boys. Run along outside now." Nodding eagerly, the annoying trio darted back out.

"They're annoying," Kendall was calmer now that he had Katie in his arms again.

"Yeah," Katie, who was blind, could even see that.

"You four don't sound bad together," she looked thoughtful, "that's all I needed. Thank you, and I'll contact you in a few days to see if your going to be famous."


	11. Compromise

Hush little Sister 11

"No way!" Jackson winced a little to Kendall's response when he explained his plan to him.

"It's going to help you and Katie," he insisted, "why wouldn't you? You'll be a star!"

"No!"

His plan was simple and insane: Get Kendall famous with his golden voice and use the money to get them all a nice home and fix Katie's eyes. One problem: Kendall didn't want to be famous. It wasn't his desire, and he was better off in his opinion a worker.

"Could I talk you into it anyway?" Jackson pleaded, desperate, "I'll give you anything you want!"

"I want whatever Katie wants," he kissed his sister's forehead as she played with blocks. She smiled in the direction of his voice, opening her arms for him to pick her up.

"You really love her, don't you?" he spoke as he rocked her to sleep, singing her new lullaby.

"More than life," he laid her in her bed, leaving the hallway light on like he did before..yeah, "gosh, I'm all she has now. Carson ruined her life totally, and all I can hope to do is rebuild it again."

"Do you want revenge?"

"That's all that I think of. I want him dead, where he'll never hurt us again,"

"Son, are you suggesting murder?"

The question hung in the air for a couple of minutes. Finally the preteen nodded and reached into his pocket. He'd found a pocket knife on the run, and now he was fingering it and breathing heavily.

"Understood," his response surprised the blonde, "but just rest now. We'll take care of it."

"Officer Johnson," he looked at the Negro, "you asked me what I wanted? Well, it's two standards."

"Oh, you have standards?" he chuckled a little, "and what are these standards?"

"I want Carson dead," he held up a finger and hiestated.

"Go on, son. Whatever you want,"

Swallowing, he replied, "I want custody of Katie."

The officer was silent for a time there. Suddenly, he grasped the boy's hand and shook it.

"Then it's a deal."


	12. Maybe we could be friends

Hush little Sister 12

"Mhmrph…" Kendall's protest was muffled by the heavy quilts of his bed.

"Up and adam!" Jackson hit him with a pillow to urge him on.

"It's too early.." the officer chuckled at his response. It was just like any other preteen boy's, which meant they were making process.

"He said it's a surprise!" Katie made her way across the bed to grasp his hands, "come on, Kenny!"

He lifted her up to kiss her face all over. Jackson smiled at the two siblings before heading to make their breakfast. In the meantime, Kendall was getting decent while his sister bounced on the bed.

"Don't hurt yourself," he told her.

"I won't!" she giggled, "I think this is a good surprise!"

"So do I," he straightened out his hair quickly and scooped her up, "I love you so much, Katie."

"I love you more, Kenny," she clung to his neck tightly, "you not like Daddy. Daddy hurts."

"We're not going to have to worry about Daddy anymore soon," he swore, "big brother's going to make him go away."

"Can I help?" her voice sounded really hopeful.

"I don't think so. Too dangerous, little sister," he smiled just a little at her pouting expression, "but as soon as he's gone, you're going to be able to see his grave. That sound good?"

"That sounds like a plan," she grinned once more, and he felt his chest swell. She was becoming happier by the day, and he got to see that beautiful grin more often.

After a rushed breakfast of eggs and bacon, the three were in the car, heading down the road. Katie jiggled in her brother's lap anxiously, smiling all over the place. He didn't know how she could be so confiedent that this was a good surprise, but whatever kept her in a good mood.

When the car parked, he looked out of the window. There was a solid white building directly in front of his car with swinging doors and people in tight suits coming in and out in a hurry. The words of the place glowed a little, even in the daylight.

**Adoption Center **

"Adoption?" Kendall's eyes went wider than diner plates, "you're putting us up for _adoption?_"

It was like his world was crashing down. He'd really started to think that Jackson liked them and would help them and cared, but now this? That just proved his point that you should never trust anyone.

"What's adoption?" her smile was gone instantly.

He didn't know how to answer her. Before he could try, however, Jackson put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course not," he replied, "this is also the custody center. I'm going to file for you to get custody of Katie."

"Custody?" the child questioned, confused at all the voice changes' in tone.

"Oh," Kendall exhauled, "sorry about that. Don't worry, Katie. Big brother was just being silly."

"You're really silly," she smiled at him, kissing his nose.

"I'll be back," he told the two, "stay here, okay?"

"You don't have to worry about that," the preteen took a seat on a bench so he could play with his sister.

He was bouncing her in his lap when he heard a familiar panicky voice. She was giggling like crazy until then, and now she was feeling his face to know what expression he wore.

"Bad people?" she inquired, reconizing the following voices.

"Very," he squeezed her hands and set her down, "big brother's going to take care of them for you, okay? But you sit here and scream if anyone tries to get you or anything happens, okay?"

"Don't go far," she felt his face one more time before letting him go.

"…you two are crazy!" the three came into view somewhat quickly as Kendall approached, fists clenched.

"We're just going to make peace with him, geez," James rolled his eyes, "I swear, is worrying a part of your diet?"

"That's not physically possible," Logan blinked, and his friend groaned loudly.

"Hey!" Carlos was the first to see him, "can we talk?"

"About your medical bills?" the blonde raised his fists, "sure thing, buddy."

"Whoa!" James held up his hands in surrender, "what's wrong with sitting down and talking about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about,"

"Please?" Carlos tried to be nice, and Kendall snarled in response.

"Kenny?" Katie's voice called to him, "didn't you tell me to not fight? Why do you want to fight if you can p-pr-pre.."

"Prevent?"

"Prevant it?"

Slowly breathing, clenching his teeth, he unballed his fingers. Carlos looked a bit relived as the four sat on a bench. Silence.

"I'm sorry for taking fancy to your sister," James spoke first, "I'm just a flirt."

"It's true," Logan nodded his head, "I tried to tell him that would get him killed one day."

"I don't think we have to be enimies," Carlos agreed, "maybe we could friends."

"I have no interst in being friends with a flirt, a worrier, and some crazy person," Kendall refused it.

"But…" James started, "wow, that's basically what we are."

"If I can be friends with these two crazies," Logan spoke up bravely against the bigger boy, "so can you."

"One problem," Kendall got up, tense and irritated, "I'm not interested in having anything to do with you."

"What others friends to you have?" Carlos inquired.

The preteen lowered his eyes and started to shake a little. That's when it hit the trio.

"You don't have any friends, do you?" the Latino asked gently.

Instead of replying, the friendless male tried to get back to his sibling. But James blocked his way, simply because he was taller.

"How do you know we wouldn't be good for you?" he inquired.

"Well, let's see," the blonde turned to face them all, "I can't stand James, Logan is irritating, and Carlos would probably get me killed in ten seconds. I'm good." He started to walk away again.

"Aw, give us a chance!" Carlos tried to block his way, "please?"

"No," he growled.

"Please?" James tried.

Getting in his face, he snarled, "No."

"Please?" Logan looked at him with pleading eyes.

Sighing loudly, he grumbled, "Only if you leave me alone when it doesn't happen."


	13. Her Kenny

Hush little Sister 13

Author Note: This is a shout-out to the amazing and wonderful **GleeShadow. **Her stories are very, very powerful, and I am forever touched by her gift. Write on, girl! Now, on with this story...

_"No!" Katie wailed, trying to escape his fists and evil eyes, "stay away from me!" _

_His fist suddenly colliaded with her face, and she fell like a tower. Broken, she stared up through hot, broken, tear-filled eyes. Blood mixed in with her tears and shaking as he closed in. _

_"Kenny?" she looked at her older brother, "KENNY!" _

_She fell ontop of her lifeless sibling, letting him hurt her and take over her, breaking everything. When it stopped, she looked at herself in a shattered mirror. She wasn't human anymore, she was only in agony. Her brother was better, though he was dead. She picked up the glass shard he'd used to take away all his pain and choked. He was young, he was sixteen. And he was gone forever. _

_Her world that kept her going was gone. He'd said it'd keep her safe now. But it didn't. She felt around his face and sobbed. She wished she was blind, that she couldn't see this. But she could, and Carson had come back. Back to the cold, lonely nights where there was no love and all blood and tears and songs. The songs he used to sing. Gripping the glass, she laid beside him. _

_"I'm coming, too," and she met the same fate as him. _

"Katie!" her eyes flew open at the sound of his voice.

"Kenny?" she screamed, shaking and trying to make sense of things, "Kenny! You...alive...Kenny!"

She was aware of his arms tightly around her, shaking her and singing her little lulluby.

"You were screaming and fighting," he told her, "shhhhhhh. Calm down, baby sister. I'm right here, I'm not dead."

"I thought...you killed yourself," she bawled, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, "and so did I..."

"I would never, _ever _do that to you," he kissed her tear stains, "did C-Dad come back?"

She nodded, trembling, and she felt him tense. Feeling his face, she knew he was glaring like a mad man. She knew she could trust him to keep her safe and to kill him. Then she'd see and get real parents. And she'd be able to see it all. He'd promised that.

"I love you," she choked, "I wish I could see you."

"You will," she felt herself flip upside down and him tickling her, and she giggled.

She didn't show that her wounds were still killing her. And it wasn't because of the beatings now. She didn't say anything, but she was a broken child. More than she let on, that was. She always called herself stupid, she always put herself down. She sometimes requested Carson beat her harder than usaul. It was always her fault. That's what she was. The one who caused everyone problems. If she wasn't around, the world would be a better place.

Kendall wouldn't allow anything to happen to her from the hands of others. But what about from her hands?

She hurt herself more than emotionally sometimes. Sometimes it got so bad she'd reopen her cuts and bruise herself by slamming herself around when he was out. Then she'd feel the pain and think how much she deserved that. She cried all the time. That's all she could ever do. And when he took hits for her..she made it worse on herself.

She had a hard time believing things would be okay. A home would make him happy, and then parents would make him happy again. Eyesight would just help her hurt herself more. They were going through all this trouble...for a brat. She believed that she was worthless and they were just hurting themselves. The only reason she'd never gone too far was because of Kendall.

He was her solid rock, the one she could tell everything. The one who kept her grounded, the one who she'd trust forever. The one who always made her feel good about herself and was guiding her in healing herself. She'd been starting to listen in maybe she wasn't such a bad person. She was feeling like she was much more than who she'd always thought herself as. The one who he'd called her.

He lied. That's all he was. A lier and an abuser. A monster.

Not him. Not Officer Johnson. Not her mother. Not the rest of the world...

Not her.

Kendall was all she would ever love. She was petrified to feel love for another because they'd hurt her. She still thought of herself as the always unloved. But he was different than anything else. He'd never hurt her. He made promises he kept.

Always.

Nothing would ever change that.

He was her big brother. He was her guardian. He was her protecter. He was weak when she could never be. He was amazing. He was Kendall. No, he was more than Kendall.

He was Kenny.

Her Kenny.

And only would he always be her Kenny.

That'd he'd promised her.

Forever.

And ever.

And ever.

And ever.

And...

Never.


	14. New girl

Hush little Sister 14

Author Note: I know, I kind of inturpted things with that last chapter. But I hadn't done anything with Katie yet, so...yeah. Enjoy!

"Favorite color?" Carlos questioned Kendall. After seeing his sister in pain earlier that past night, Kendall had not been able to sleep, assuring she was in a peaceful, peaceful slumber.

And she was.

As always.

"Red," he replied, yawning loudly, "like...blood..."

"Are you sure your alright, dude?" James raised an eyebrow at the deep purple rings under his eyes.

"Yes," he snipped, yawning again.

"You must not have slept good," Logan decided, "your welcome to crash." They were high in a tree, the trio's favorite hangout alone in the woods in a hut they'd built themselves with just a little help from their dads.

"Not likely," his eyes flickered to Katie, who was bouncing engertically with a doll in the corner happily.

"We'll look after her," James swore, and that earned him a snarl and death glare.

"Please?" Carlos looked at him with big eyes, "it would help Katie.."

"Katlyin, to you,"

"Katlyin. You can't protect her if your half dead," Logan finished for him, and he slowly nodded angerily.

"Fine," he threw himself into another corner, away from them and yawning, "Katie, you know what to do if they annoy you."

"Yes, Kenny," she nodded, smiling and kissing his cheek upon feeling his closed eyes.

He was soon snoring softly. She turned to face the boys, wondering if they were really all that bad. They sounded nice enough, but...

"Hey, guys," a girl's voice spoke.

She didn't know this, but a beautiful blonde came in through the fort. Her chocolote doe eyes were shiny as she blinked.

"Jo," Carlos gave her a big hug, "come to meet the new guy?"

"You've made friends with him?" she questioned, smiling a little at the sacked out boy.

"It's a process," Logan chuckled at little.

"A long, painful process," James rolled his eyes, "it's exhausting."

"And who'd this little cutie?" she picked up Katie, smiling a little and frowning at her white eyes.

"His blind sister Katie," Carlos explained, and Kendall stirred.

She liked this girl already. But then she recoiled a little when she heard her brother's suddenly alert and loving-sounding voice that he'd only used for her.

Until now.

"Hi, Jo."


	15. Bestest surprise Ever

Hush little Sister 15

Author Note: I know, I know. But I'm updating NOW!

Katie didn't like the looks of this. Nope, not one teeny tiny bit. Over the past month all Kendall had been wanting to do with me with _Jo_. It was like she didn't even matter any more. But how could he think that? She was blind, she needed him, and she was hoping on him keeping his promises. And now that he was drifting away, she realized just how much she needed him.

"Katie," she felt his hands on his shoulders, "I'm going out for a little while. But I got you some babysitters."

"You're leaving without me _again_?" this hurt her.

"Just for a little while," he promised, though he said that every time, "I think you'll like these babysitters."

"Hey, Katie!" she knew the three voices at once.

"James, Carlos, Logan!" she groped her way to them eagerly.

While her big brother had been gone, she'd kind of adopted those three as her other brothers. She felt Carlos's hands pick her up and twirl her around, stirring a giggle from her.

"We've got the bestest surprise _ever _for you, Katie," James cooed to her, holding her tight.

"Bestest isn't a word," Logan corrected, who seemed more relaxed with her around, "I think you mean _best_."

"Who cares?" Carlos grabbed his shoulders and pulled him toward the door of their treehouse where they'd been, "move, man! Human speed is not fast enough for this!"

"I am no other species, it will have to be," Logan growled to him, and Katie giggled loudly. She wasn't even paying attention to fact Kendall and Jo had left.

"Your brothers are really silly, aren't they?" James cooed to her.

"Really, really silly," she giggled back, "where we going?"

"You'll have to see," at her pouty expression he let her feet his evil grin.

"Oh, no," she squirmed a bit as he carried her into the car.

"Oh, yes," he nodded as Carlos got on the other side of her in the backseat. Jackson was driving them, and he rolled his eyes and chuckled a bit. These boys weren't _so _bad if they were taking care of her.

She squealed as they tickled her all over her squirming body. Even when they stopped, she was still rolling all around and giggling like craziness. Picking her up and setting her in his lap, James buried his face in her hair.

"I love you, James," she felt his perfect hair and then felt Carlos's face, "and I love you, Carlos. And I love you…" She felt around, and Carlos grabbed Logan's hand from the passenger seat and laid it on hers, "Logan."

"Aw…we love you too, Katie bear," Logan was telling the truth.

She felt so secure with her brothers, "Forever and ever?"

"Forever and ever, Katie girl," Carlos kissed her cheek.

"No," James denied, kissing her other cheek, "forever and ever and _always_, Katie Ann."

"My middle name's not Ann!" she grinned at his persistant nickname.

"It is now," he replied, laying her across his chest and rubbed her stomach gently.

She felt herself being carried and inhauled deeply when they entered the building. It smelled like the doctor's, and she frowned.

"How is this a good surprise?" she questioned.

"You'll see," Logan replied, and pretty soon she was laying on something cold and hard. Whimpering a little, she felt all of the others' faces, just to make sure they were there.

Then she found a new face.

It had wrinkles and a little beard. The eyes, she decided, were blue, and his hair was cut short. It didn't feel like it had color, and she felt his neck and chest, arms and finally stomach. He was skinny, and his arms were a little stocky. His expression was kind and patient.

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

"My name is Henry Derkoson," he replied, "and I'm here to fix your eyes."

"I'm going to be able to see?" she felt her eyes widened as she broke out into grinning all over everywhere, "Logie, Cartilos, Jamie! I goin' be able to see?"

"Yes, Katie," Jackson touched face and let her hand feel he was smiling.

She squealed and got perfectly still.

"You need us in here?" James asked.

"Only you," she gripped his hand and closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXX

"So you seriously did that with your new baseball?" Kendall laughed at yet another one of Jo's stories.

"Yeah, Mom wasn't too happy about all that," she chuckled, "anyway, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"That was a bit random, don't you think?"

"I asked you about that half an hour ago and you talked about baseball," she reminded, smiling at him, "tell me."

"Well…I don't know," he sighed, "it's so confusing right now. All I want is to protect Katie and get her happy. But for me? I don't have a clue right now."

"Well, whatever you are, it's going to be great," she assured, kissing his nose.

Suddenly, his new cell phone, (gift from Jackson,) rang. Blushing, a bit embarrassed, he put it to his ear.

"Yes, Officer Johnson?"

He went silent for a minute.

"Okay," he finally managed, breathing hard, "we'll be right there."

When he hung up, he promptly fell over in his chair. Gasping, Jo helped him up.

"What happened?" she looked scared.

"I.." he choked, "I'm apparently going to be famous."


	16. Big Time

Hush little Sister 16

"I'm going to be famous," Kendall kept saying this line over and over, "I'm going to be famous, I'm going to be famous, I'm going to be…" Carlos finally covered his mouth with his hand.

"Dude, we get it," he uncovered his mouth.

"_Famous_," he finished the thought before saying something different, "I'm sorry, I just can't get over that."

"Well, get used to it your head," Jo laughed, "besides, here comes Katie."

Kendall swung his legs nervously. What if somebody had messed up in the operation? Was she feeling okay? Were her eyes alright? Was she really going to be able to see?

"Kenny?" she came out groping, and his heart fell to his stomach with a painful, echoing _thud_.

"Open your eyes," James was right behind her, leading her to the others, "it's okay."

"Really?" she bit her lower lip.

"I promise, they did fine…I think," he tried to assure her, and she nodded weakly.

"Come on, let's see those pretties," Kendall knelt to her, touching her cheek with his hands. She squeezed it before slowly opening them.

She blinked quickly and shut them again. Slower now, she opened them and shielding them.

"K-Kenny?" she whispered before her face lit up, "Kenny!" She threw her arms around him and started to sob.

Everybody erupted in cheers as they hugged her tight and kissed her cheeks. When things settled down a notch, Kendall hugged her tightly with tears in his own eyes.

"I can see you all," she whispered, smiling before frowning a bit, "but it really hurts my eyes."

"Don't worry, these should help," Henry entered, holding some smoked glasses. When she put them on, she nodded.

"Thank you, you're an angel," she kissed his cheek, and he chuckled.

"I'm so glad I could help you," he then slyly faced Jackson, "now, your bill."

XXXXXXX

"Man," Katie stared at Jo, "he wasn't kidding when he said you're were the most beautiful girl ever."

"Then you," Jo tapped the five year old's nose, "are the cutest little girl ever."

"Kendall," Jackson looked at him, who'd been watching them close, "you need to start packing up your stuff."

"Yeah, but…" he bit his lower lip.

"But what?"

"I don't know if I'm ready," he wrung his hands, "it's been so hard on everybody recently…I don't know if I'm up to it."

"I'll help you in anything you need, but I believe in you. We all do," he put a hand on his shoulder, "besides, an oppertiunity like this comes once in a lifetime. You gotta take it and live it."

"Thanks, Officer Johnson," he hugged his neck, "you're like my dad..without the evil part."

"Glad I could help," he smiled, "and your just like the son I never had. Now, go pack. It's going to be a big night."

"Oh…" Kendall murmured as he packed, "it's goin' be a big night…we're goin' have a good time…"

James, Carlos, and Logan grinned at the sound of his voice decided to join in.

"It's goin' be a big big big big night," they sang together, and their new found leader grinned at them.

"You guys," he rolled his eyes, "are crazy."

"Well, that's why you love us," Carlos plopped beside him on the bed, "this is all such a rush for you, huh?"

"You got saved, then Katie was blind, now you've made three best friends, Katie can see again mostly, and now you're going to be famous," Logan commented, "I wonder if I should be jealous."

"Uh, big time," Kendall rolled his eyes, "I'll miss you guys."

"We're still together in some ways. Emotionally, I guess you could say," James smiled, "because we're best friends. Right?"

Staking their hands, they all agreed as one, "Big time."


	17. A Big Time name

Hush little Sister 17

"Fresh air!" Kendall gasped dramatically as he stumbled out the car, "air that is not the breathe of you people!"

"Drama queen," Katie laughed at her brother. It _had _been MEGA cramped in that taxi, but now he was just being crazy.

"Very funny, baby sister," he lifted her out the car and started unloading the luggage, "help a guy out, huh?"

"I'll go check you guys in," Jackson headed inside, chuckling and mumbling, "crazy kids."

When he unloaded one of his suitcases, Kendall moaned a bit. It was a _lot _heavier than he remembered, but then again, he was still dizzy from being trapped in a tiny space for two days. Heaving and straining, he finally managed to get the thing up into their room. Jackson had them their own little loft in a town just outside of HollyWood, and he had his own room.

"Need some help?" he asked Katie before he excluded himself from society.

"Privacy!" she announced the new word Jo taught her before they left, closing her own door to her own room.

He rolled his eyes and shut the door, collapsing on the new bed. He hadn't been here long, and he already missed his friends. They were way tighter than he'd ever dreamed, but he didn't mind. But he _did _mind not being with the people who kept him going besides her. He almost felt like a normal boy with them. His mind replayed for him their departure.

"_Now, you better wait forever for me," Jo smiled weakly to him, tears stinging her big brown eyes. _

"_Forever is not enough to show how long I'll wait for you," the two's lips connected ever so gently. _

"_Ewwwwww!" Carlos whined, "you guys said you'd stop doing that in front of us!" _

"_Yeah, innocent eyes are in the room," James covered Katie's eyes, and she giggled loudly. _

"_Oh, shut up, Diamond," he pushed his buddy back before holding out his fist for a fist pump, "going to miss your big mouth." _

"_Going to be miss your bossiness," he replied, grinning and accepting the invite. _

"_Hey, here's a little going away gift for you," Carlos suddenly had plopped a helmet on his head, "it was my brother's. I think you might need it to avoid all the girls that will crush on you." _

"_Hey, this is really more of your look," he smiled as it covered his eyes, lifting it up and setting it on his head, "there you go, the perfect image of a future hockey head." _

"_Funny, very funny," he fist pumped him. The leader faced Logan, who hadn't really been as close to him as the other two. _

_"Stay true to yourself," he spoke, shaking his hand, "don't let any bulled-heads jerks change you." _

_"Don't worry, I've got this," he held up his hand for a high five, "I'm still going to be the good ole' Kendall you always knew." _

_"You better be," when their hands connected, he realized just how much he cared for his friends, almost as much as he cared for his Katie and Jo. They were a family, and nothing would ever seperate them now. _

Sighing, he unzipped the goliathic bag.

"Gosh, what did I put in this thing?" he strained, "a hippo?"

Suddenly, the top flew open, making him stumble back. In that sudden moment he grabbed a nearby basebat and swung out blindly, fear pulling him into the moment. It connected with something, and three screams hit the air. Falling backward, he blinked and rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, he realized what had come out.

"Logan, Carlos, James!" he was suddenly angry, "what the crap?"

"We decided we didn't want to let you face this alone," Logan explained, getting out of the suitcase and stretching, "we got in the trunk and got in this here bag we 'borrowed' when you parked."

"It's a big world out there, and four's just going to show it up more," James grinned, doing the same.

"We're buddies, we're a team," Carlos, thankful only his helmet had been hit with the bat, got in signature clothing item and stood beside them, "we're..the Rush."

Kendall just stared at them for a moment. They tensed and exchanged nervous glances. Suddenly, he started toward them, not looking amused.

"I TOLD you this was a bad idea!" Logan's eyes widened as he put his hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly, he broke into a wide grin and laughed. Confused, the trio watched as he put his hand out for a stack.

"No, we'e not the Rush," he corrected, "we're Big Time Rush."

Grinning identically, the other three stacked their hands and threw them up with him, shouting, "Big Time Rush!"

Author Note: And thus Big Time Rush was born! Don't worry, there's still PLENTY more, my dears...


	18. Hush big Brother

Hush little Sister 18

Author Note: ^_^

_XXXXXXXX _

James' scream rang through the house as he ran out of the bathroom. Carlos was quick enough to cover Katie's eyes before he stopped in front of him, looking on the edge of a panic attack. The reason for the Latino covering the five year old's eyes is because his friend was wearing his birthday suit, and that was too inappropreite for eyes to see until she was at _least _married.

"Seriously, dude?" he snapped a little, "what's is _wrong _with you?"

"My hair..." he whimpered, feeling his hair, "my beautiful hair.." Carlos had to stiffle a hoot of laughter.

It was a total mess. The night before it was flawless, beautiful carmal and with no dead-ends of frizziness to it. And now it was a wreck. His bangs were all tangled up, the back was in chops, his scalp looked like somebody had yanked it around, and there was none around the ears.

"WHO DID THIS?" he stood up and roared to the rest out the house.

"Son, get some clothes on!" Jackson scolded him when he came in. Logan peeked out from their room from doing his homework and gaped at the sight.

James's knees were starting to shake now. The Negro man sighed and went over to him, putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Get on some pants," he instructed him, "try to fix up your hair best you can, and then we can figure it out. By then Kendall will be home from lessons. That sound okay?"

"Yes sir," he nodded weakly.

XXXXXXXX

"Now," Kendall was sitting with everybody in their loft living room, not taking his eyes off James' hair, "what happened?"

"That's my question," he was staring and messing with it in the mirror as he spoke, "I woke up this morning and got undressed to groom myself. I looked in the mirror and saw a horror of my hair, worse than my worst nightmare."

He had managed to tame it a little. He'd worked it into a flat do, what was left of his bangs hanging into his eyes and some frizz raked over his ears. It didn't look good at all on him, and his knew the others were still trying not to laugh. He was rather misirable now.

"And it was perfectly fine last night when you went to bed?" Kendall questioned.

"Of course," he was basically whimpering at this point.

"Are you sure none of you guys didn't do anything with it if you sleepwalked?" Kendall faced the other guys, and they all shook their hands.

The only one who hadn't denied anything or spoken was Katie. All eyes rested on her, and she squirmed in her birth big brother's lap.

"Katie?" he inquired, "did you do anything?"

"It was getting all choppy in the front, so I gave him a haircut..." she covered her ears.

Good thing too, because James' reaction was, "YOU WHAT?"

"I'm sorry," she looked terrified, "it was dark, and I had on the glasses..."

"Why, Katie?" he was going to hyterics, "why would you do that to me? I thought I was your brother!"

"You are, I didn't mean it!" she was looking on the edge of tears.

"Obviously you did," he stormed into the boys' room and shut the door.

_CLANG! _

Katie winced as her eyes filled with warm moisture. The girl started to cry, and Kendall's eyes flashed murderously. Jackson could feel it was time for him to be the parent of these five kids who depended on him totally. The trio's mothers' trusted him with the three until they got back, and of course he was already responsible for Kendall and Katie. He quickly went over to the first two he'd owned.

"Alright, buddy," he took the male's shoulders and steered him toward his room, "Carlos, Logan, deal with him." And he took both of them off.

The two best friends blinked at each other, biting their lower lips. Though Carlos was abmbitious, he was more of a follower. And Logan was a planner, not a doer. And niether of them were too good quite yet on emotions.

"Ur...any ideas?" Carlos asked him.

"Got an extra helmet?" he suggested weakly.

XXXXXXXXX

"It's not your fault..." at the moment, Kendall and Jackson were trying to calm down Katie.

"Yes it is!" she wept, "I totally ruined James's hair!"

"Hair has no life," Jackson pointed out, "it's _hair_, Katilyn."

"Yeah, it's just a priss," Kendall grumbled, obviously miffed at his brother figure.

"Hey now," and Jackson now had to calm _his _temper and _her _fears.

XXXXXXXXX

James had no lifted his face from the pillow yet. His hair was something he always prided himself in, and they just didn't understand why. His was so much more insecure than he let on. Being beautiful was one thing he could do and not mess up. What went on at his home made him that way.

But now his hair, the thing he did best at, had been tarnished. It was because of somebody he loved too and said she understood everything. Just like at home. He didn't know what had happened with Kendall and Katie with Carson, they'd said Jackson looked after them because their parents were out of town. And he thought they didn't know what true pain meant.

It was his parents, that was all. His mother was so freaking busy, he didn't really know her and he hadn't since he was eight. He missed her deeply, and his daddy had been bad. He went out with girls every night and got them in love and dated them and had married two. They were constantly going all over the place, and half the time he refused to go.

Now he had two little sisters to deal with from the married chicks.

They were his everything. He would do anything for them and do anything for them to be happy, just like how Kendall was with Katie. But now his basic brother was in the big time, and he had to help him out, too. He'd been torn that night more than he'd ever felt before.

_"J-James?" five year old Claire looked up at him from clinging his leg with big blue eyes, "you're-you're not going t-to leave, r-right?" _

_He just didn't know what to do. His father wouldn't take care of them, and then niether would their mothers. So what should he do? _

_"Not for good," he promised, struggling to breathe, "you're going to a special place for a while. And then I'm going to come home and stay with you forever." _

_"No!" seven year old Emily looked panicy now, "you can't! You promised us forever and ever!" Her british accented voice trembled with emotion. _

_"And it will be, but I have to take care of my brother," he knelt down to rock them both strong. _

_"But...but J-James," Emily blinked back her forming tears, "where are you taking us?"  
><em>

_He shut off all breathing energy when he whispered, "Adoption center." _

_"Adoption?" she screetched, her brown eyes that matched his going wild, "someone will adopt us!" _

_"No, I won't let them," he was praying every night he could keep that promise, "I'll be back so quick, you'll never even know I'm gone." _

_"But why can't we go?" Claire asked. _

_He hadn't told any of the guys about the two, and he didn't plan too, either, "I'm going to come back." _

_"You better, we'll miss you," Emily shed her tears on her brother's pants leg. _

_His heart shattered as they broke their hearts in his chest. _

He finally gave up and shed his own tears. When he finally looked up, heart still moaning for the two, he found himself staring into big doe eyes. His own widened, making a few tears fall.

"Katliyn?" he snarled, feeling only her to blame, "how'd you get in here?"

"I figured it out," she crawled to his chest and sat on his lip, brushing away the tears, "James, you can tell me anything."

"Like where the sciorcors I cut my hair with?" he was trying to scare her away, but her secret past made her strong.

"Mistakes, we're only human," she touched his cheek gently, "now hush, you've had a long morning."

"But..."

She put her finger to his lips and kissed his nose, singing a lulluby in soft soprano, "Hush big brother, don't you cry. Little sister's goin' sing you a little lulluby. Hush big brother don't let your tears stray, everything's going to be okay..."

Curling up in her arms, he whispered, "Thank you, Katie-Kat."


	19. Mirror

Hush little Sister 19

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, _

_You make me happy when skies are gray. _

_I'll never know how, how much I love you, _

_So please don't take my sunshine away. _

Katie's eyes fluttered at the sound of his beautiful voice. She smiled at him, her big doe eyes shining just like the stars. His smiled back with a light that matched hers, which made her break out into a pumpkin grin. She enjoyed seeing her happiness reflected back upon her. That was so weird, how it was like a mirror...

Then she realized he _was _her mirror. He always was, and his personality was by hers. When she was sad, so was he. When she was carefree, so was her. He was all she ever wanted to be, she was all he ever wanted to be. They were each other's mates, the ones they could connect to in the heart. They were each other's dreams.

She heard a new tune in her head, one that came from the heart. She went to the living room where she found a guitar, a simple little one. The music flew out of her heart and soul into her hand and made her voice sing the words.

_Fly out of the heart, and into the sun, _

_sing the song that you have to sing. _

_Breathe the breaths you never breathed, _

_Open your eyes and see the things you gotta see. _

_Finding the words never said, _

_Sometimes a little bit scary. _

_Looking at you, though, _

_It's like seeing me for the first _

_Ti-iiii-ime. _

He slipped beside her, his cinomoan breath brushing her face as he sang from his own heart.

_All those lonely, spending them so cold, _

_they melted into the past when I met you. _

_The way your eyes shine, _

_Makes me want to melt like a snowman. _

_Makes me want to dance, _

_makes me want to sing. _

_Let's me let go of the pain, _

_Makes me cry the tears I'd never cried. _

_Finding the words never said,_

_Sometimes a little bit scary._

_Looking at you, though,_

_It's like seeing me for the first_

_Ti-iiii-ime._

They brushed their foreheads to each other's, smiling under the closeness. She sang the next line of the song. Their special song they made together.

_Heavy cries are faded in blue _

He sang as well.

_Angry pasts are gone in green _

They joined together for a magical little moment.

_And that matters is the yellow, _

_All that has meaning is you and me... _

She did a little solo.

_Nothing's a mistake _

_Finding the words never said,_

_Sometime a little bit scary._

_Looking at you, though,_

_It's like seeing me for the first_

_Ti-iiii-ime. _

He whispered the next .

_Seeing you for the first time... _

She moved his lips toward hers.

_My mirror, so flawless... _

They sang the last of it before letting their lips finally meet, "Cause your the one I love."

When they finally parted, both of them were redder than roses and breathing in short, joyous gasps. He put his hands on her rosy cheeks, and his touch was cool to her. She curled up in his chest, fumbling with his locks.

"It's fine, you mean way more to me than the hair," he took her hands, kissing them, "I love you, Katie Kat."

"And I love you, Jamie," she sighed, relieved.

"Your my Katie Kat," she wrapped his arms around her.

"And your my Jaime," she felt so secure as she kissed his chin and giggled shyly.

She finally understood what Kendall felt with being in love.


	20. Kelly

Hush little Sister 20

Author Note: I enjoy updating this story...oh, and to whoever sent the SUPER sweet review asking what song that was on the last chapter, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Thank you too ALL my reviews, it means a lot to know I please you! ^_^ To answer the question, I wrote that song myself. :) And yes, Katie's five. But James' is only eleven, remember? ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ And ENJOY! :)

_XXXXXXXXXX _

"Whoah, whoah..." Kendall's eyes were nervous as he trained them on his music coach.

"No no no!" she smacked her stick against the stand, rising and sighing impatiently, "higher! Your voice is so much higher than that, use it!"

He clenched his teeth together and glared daggers at her back. She was_ so_ annoying, he just wanted to throw something. Suddenly, his hand became possesed and obeyed his angry thoughts.

"My word, young man!" she whirled around with fire in her eyes when the pen hit her in the 'downtown region', "do you want to stay in this class?"

He was so sick of her, so he yelled back, mocking her voice, "Why, no I don't, GRANDMA!"

"_Excuse me!" _she squealed.

"No, _excuse ME_!" he squealed back, tensing up and ready to fight.

She suddenly had him by the shirt front, slamming him into the ground. Growling, his eyes changed with his mood. They flared and widened, like an animal's. Jerking in one long motion, he tackled her, grabbing her bangs and bringing the devil lady to her knees. Hissing a bit, she managed to wrestle him off and run. Spitting out a little blood, he got to the bathroom and tended the pain in his mouth.

"Blood..." images of the not-so-long ago past danced in his head, and he dropped to his knees to stop the spinning.

It blew his mind how things had changed. Three months ago he was tended wounds and scars of his sister's body and trying to keep her safe, putting his own life on the line. Now he had three best friends, a Dad figure, the two siblings were healing, and he was working to be famous. That was totally unreal.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh..." he mumbled to himself, looking at the little studio he was getting kicked out of soon and he knew it, "make it count, play it straight..."

That's when the door slammed open, and an angry looking Jackson stomped in. He grabbed Kendall by the shoulders and shook, making him look in his eyes.

"Kendall, we had a DEAL!" he growled, looking frustrated, "why must you attack her?"

"If you've even worked with the chick, you'd get it," he jerked away and plopped down on a overturned chair, burying his face in his hands, "I don't know what to do. All I want is to help out Katie, but I can't control my temper enough to do it."

His gaze softed at the preteen then as he knealt down, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Then are you willing to try and get somebody else?"

"You...you're not going to make me go back?" he peered up from his hands.

"I don't feel like paying any more life innsurance," he chuckled, "I wouldn't do that to you."

"Oh, thank you so much!" he threw his arms around his neck, "thank you, thank you, thank you!"

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Should I be nervous?" Kendall stared up at the record company. Katie was pressed against his leg, finding comfort in him now because she'd always had and also because James was asleep with Carlos and Logan was bathing. (Wonders never seize)

"No," Jackson assured him, patting his head.

"Okay," he looked at his sister, and both of them agreed, "I'm nervous."

Rolling his eyes, the Negro led the way in. Katie ducked behind her brother's leg, and he was trying his hardest to not do the same. All this people were all strict and old and boring-looking, and they walked like somebody implanted a stick in their spine. A few smiled at him, but they were thin smiles that showed cracked lips under way too much lipstick.

"This is creepy..." the five year old mumured.

"No lie," he squeezed her hand, "but I'll protect..."

"Pretty fountain!" she was suddenly gone.

"..you," he finished to himself.

"There's money down there!" she looked amazed as she looked in, balancing on her knees to stare in, "who put it there?"

"Well, you put it in there and make a wish," he picked her up, holding her so her legs wrapped around his ribs and her arms wrapped around her neck, "and then they come true."

"That's magical!" she fished around in his pocket for some change.

"Hey, you," he pulled it out and handed her a penny, "close your eyes and wish it in your hand. Then throw it in."

She nodded and closed her eyes, posing it on her thumb. After a moment, she flicked it off toward the fountain. But sadly, it hit the top of the decoration and rikachaded of to hit his forehead. It fell in then, and he sighed.

"Little sister," he spoke as he helped her down, "remind me to teach you how to aim later."

XXXXXXXX

"Good morning," a Negro women with straight hair and brown eyes greeted them, "you must be Jackson, Kendall, and Katie."

"That's Katilyn," she chimed for her brother, and he pressed her face to his leg.

The lady laughed before shaking Jackson and Katie's hands, then bending over to smile at Kendall, "You ready, buddy?"

"Depends," he raised an eyebrow, "how's your past?"

"Kendall!" Jackson scolded him, covering his mouth, "my aplogies, Kelly."

"I understand, don't worry, my past is perfectly fine," she put a hand on his shoulder, "will you follow me in?"

"Hm...sure," he decided, shoving away Jackson's hand, kissing her cheek, and following this 'Kelly.'

"Alright, we're going to take it slow," she smiled at him when he sat down, "give me a vibe of your range."

"Do, ri, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do..." he went up to his highest, and she smiled, nodding and taking notes.

"You have a very nice voice, and very powerful," she complemented him.

He knew right then he liked her and that she was going to affect him...one way or another.


	21. It's Katilyn

Hush little Sister 21

"Kaite," James scooped his crush up in his arms, "what you got there?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, holding up the item to the light. It was a knife, and he about dropped her.

"Katliyn Jo Jones!" he scolded her, jerking it away.

"What?" she blinked up at him with wide, scared eyes at his angry face. He set her on the bed and shook her shoulders.

"You can't play with this, you'll get hurt!" he wagged it infront of her face, "are you listening to me?" She looked up from her lap with tears pooling in her eyes, "Sure, cry it up. Gah, Katlyin! Grow up already!" He regretted it the moment he said it.

"Maybe if you had a brain, James, you'd understand WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!" she grabbed the knife and threw it into the door, running out.

"Katie!" he rushed for her, but the door slammed him into the ground. Rubbing his bruising jaw, he went to tend to it and allowed her to cool down.

XXXXXXXXX

"Katie-Kat?" he peered through the keyhole, pushing past the others gathering around it.

"Go away!" she jabbed a pencil at him, and he yelped, falling to his back.

"Nice going, idiot," Kendall snarled, "she doesn't trust anybody now."

"I hope your proud of yourself," Logan snapped.

"I'm sorry..." tears were pooling in his own eyes, and Carlos sat beside him, trying to be understanding to both sides.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

"She got a knife, and I scolded her too harsh," he mumbled, pressing his knuckles to his eyes.

Kendall's face paled as Jackson gulped a bit. The blonde sank to the floor, and instantly the trio were around him.

"What did she mean, Ken?" James asked gently but firmly, "what's she's been through?"

Wiping something from his eye, Kendall told them everything. By the end, all four of them were bawling.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Katie?" James finally got her to unlock her door. When he entered, she was under her sheets, her lump that she looked like was shaking.

"It's Katilyn," she moaned weakly.

"Katilyn," he corrected himself, sliding beside her, "I wanted you to stay safe, and I didn't mean anything by anything I said. I didn't mean it, my big mouth got the best of me."

"That isn't a lie," big doe eyes looked up at him, and his heart went through his ribs.

"How can I make it up to you?" he got to her eye level and gave her his best aplogetic look.

"Well..." she tapped her chin and smiled, "make me famous like Kenny."

His eyes widened at this strange request. "He's not famous yet, Katilyn. I mean, it's going to take a long time, and it's a long shot anyway. I can try for you, but no promises. It's an even longer shot for you, okay?"

"I don't care, if he can do, so can I," she grabbed his hands, "will you really do it?"

Smiling weakly, he nodded and swung her around, "Love you, kitten. Of course."

"YEA!" she kissed his face all over, "I love you too, Jamie!"

"Katie-Kat, you little devil," he tickled her under the chin, "blackmailing...I didn't know you could do that."

"There might be more to be you didn't know," she smiled, and her eyes went back to another place. Respecting that, he waited for her to let him into her past.


	22. Box of Memories

Hush little Sister 22

She let him in, alright. It didn't mean he liked what he saw. When her emotions tumbled out in words so strong, he could see what was happening in vivid detail. When she'd finished he helped her to bed, assuring her it was over and it always would be. His stomach knotted up when he laid down that night, thinking of all those feelings she'd felt every day for so long.

Katie wasn't doing much better. She was reliving everything as she gave up sleep, turning and shaking under the sheets. Sleep snatched her suddenly, and she remembered one of the worst nights..but also one of the best.

_"Have mercy..." Katie begged her father as he slammed her against the wall, "please..." _

_"Traitors don't deserve mercy," his fist collided with her stomach, and she slid down to her back. _

_"We haven't done crap to deserve this!" Kendall's voice rang out, angry and full of hate, "you let my little sister go!" _

_"SHUT UP!" he grabbed a broken piece of glass and threw it. Her scream was muffled by cries when he slapped her across the face. _

_The ten year old dodged it, thankfully, and caught it instead. It cut through his skin, but he stabbed the man in the back with it before collasping. Blood was now on the floor, now his own, and his pain brought him down. She felt fear overcome her as her brother ran out of the doors, pulling her with him. The four year old tripped, however, and collasped into a hole, pulling him with her. Both of them cowered when Carson stumbled out, face covered in pain and sweat. _

_Kendall threw himself over her, and she felt horrible. He was protecting her, but at such a cost...Both of them couldn't scream when he pulled them both up. Instead of beating them, though, he just held them in his lap, silent and still. His eyes were a million miles away, and suddenly he gasped, falling down like a tower. _

_"It's a miracle," the preteen then hurried with her outside the gates. _

_"I don't think we're safe yet," she looked petrified, "we have nowhere to go." _

_"Well, we can at least enjoy this time, now," he picked her up, "do you know what today is?" _

_"Um...Thursday?" she blinked. _

_"It's Christmas Eve," he smiled, stopping at the big Christmas tree in town square, "and this is when magic happens." _

_"Then why can't we get a home for Christmas?" she frowned, "Santa can do that, can't he?" _

_"Well, I don't know," he shrugged, biting his lower lip, "but we're safe tonight because of him. That's good enough, right?" _

_"No," tears splattered her cheeks, "home is good." _

_"Maybe next year," he then helped her to get some medicial treatment and window shop. _

_When they got back to their home, Carson wasn't unconscience in the yard anymore. Both of them skirted to their cellar, knowing they had it coming. He was already there, but instead of looking ready to kill them, he held a little box. Handing it to Kendall, he rose and started up. _

_"It's Christmas, be happy it is," he snorted, "a gift...it's the only good thing you're getting from me, brats." Then he was gone, slamming the doors. _

She now woke up, rising and instantly going to a box under her bed. It was a box of memories, all the good things before...yeah. She was misty eyed as always as she looked at her mother's favorite things. When she touched them...it was like she was still with them.

First was her wedding ring. She remembered how she'd always adore how it shined, wearing it on a different finger each day, depending on her mood. Like, happy was the ring finger, and mad was the thumb. Next she pulled out her favorite blue sweater, and the girl draped it over her shoulders. It sagged down, but it was warm and smelled like coffee. Then she fingered her high heeled shoes, and after that a necklace she'd bought in Paris on her and Carson's honeymoon.

Last was the old photograph. Their mother was so beautiful, and she never knew it before her time. Curly brunette hair that Katie got and Kendall's bright eyes. She had a hourglass shape, and she smile was perfect and white. In the picture she was holding one year old Katie, who was asleep in a doll outfit. Kendall was in her lap, all in his Sunday best with his hair all slick, which was funny. Carson had taken the picture, so he wasn't in there.

Thank goodness.

Katie didn't like to think of her mother being with that monster. She was such a good lady, and she knew it from her brother's stories and from the memory of her touch, her smile, her laugh that resembled bells. He was cruel, he was a drinker. He was dangerous and they never knew it. She wished she could of helped, but then again, she was only two.

But she knew she could have stopped it.

_"Mommy?" Katie whimpered when her mother fell in with a black eye and looking in pain. _

_"Mommy's okay," she lied, kissing her nose, "Daddy's in a bad mood." _

_She didn't believe that for a heartbeat. She saw pain and fear in her eyes, and she whimpered. The women said she was fine and laid her in the crib. Suddenly, Carson had her by the neck from behind, grinning. _

_"I want another daughter, Amelia," he purred, "whenever your ready." The baby saw his hand grip tighter on her neck. _

_"Shut up, Carson," she pushed him back and ran out. _

She should have told Kendall. But she didn't know then, and now it was too late. The five year old felt tears drip onto the photo as she reached into the box one more time. There at the bottom was her Christmas gift a year ago, and that was a braclet. It was silver and had rubies around it, and in gold letters it read on the front **Love is all you need **

Love was the one thing he'd never have or say he'd need. Pressing her knuckles to her eyes, she threw it out of the window, not looking as she did so. She wanted to let it go and let him go, but she couldn't do it. Even though he was horrible...she still loved him.

Slowly, she made her way outside. The loft was quiet, very quiet tonight. She looked up at the moon before picking up the braclet with shaking hands.

"I know you don't love me, but I love you," she moaned, "and I wish I never did. Why does a monster have to be my father?"

"Because I do love you," his form was leaned against a tree, and she couldn't scream.

"No.." she was paralyzed, "s-stay away.."

"Whenever you're ready," he replied, and she caught his eyes for a moment.

Those evil, devil-like endless lying eyes.


	23. You and me, kid

Hush little Sister 23

"HELLO?" Logan's voice brought Katie back to reality. She jerked up from her ceral bowl, not realzing she'd come a inch away from making her face part of her breakfast.

"I didn't sleep good..." she yawned largley, "I'm okay."

Suddenly, the chair was gone. She was suddenly staring into her brother's eyes, which were concerned and serious.

"Did you see him too?" her heart hit her ribs at his question. Unable to speak, she nodded and remembered his words.

That's when James came in, looking concerned. Logan and Carlos were spying not so secretley behind the door, and Katie groaned and prayed they'd all go away. But that didn't happen, and soon she had them both pressing her to what he'd said. She finally covered her ears and screamed, running out of the door.

XXXXXXXX

"Katie!" Jackson felt horrible for losing the little girl, but not as horrible as he knew Kendall did.

"KATIE!" the blonde wailed, nearly collasping in the street. James and Logan rushed to help him to his feet, letting him lean heavy on them.

"It's okay," Logan tried to consol him as they walking, screaming for their little sister.

XXXXXXX

"So easy," Carlos mumbled as he approached the turned over corndog stand. When opened the cart door, sure enough, there she was, eating a corndog.

"What?" she shot up, dropping her food and sighing, "how did you find me?"

"You love corndogs," lifting her out of there, he carried the girl to a bench and cleaned her face gently. She just kept making it worse with her misirble crying until she finally ran out, allowing him to rock her in arms strong.

"Please let me go," she moaned into his shirt.

"Please talk to me," he lifted her face gently, eyes begging softly.

She buried her face and trembled all over. He held her until she stopped, deciding to take another approach.

"Come on..." he proded, "talk to Carlos. Talk to ole Cartilos."

"No..." she moaned as he lifted her across his lap on her back.

"Yes..." he walked his fingers across her stomach. When she squirmed, he blew air on her stomach, making her shriek with giggles.

"Cartilos, I..." she clung to his neck, "I'm scared of Daddy." Suddenly, his eyes showed him somewhere different, leaving her to loose herself in memories as well.

_"Carlos!" the six year old boy flinched at the sound of his mother's voice, "get in here!" _

_He sighed and slunk into the kitchen where she was. She held a picture frame and two knifes, and he knew all too well what was going to happen. _

_"Remember, son," she handed him a knife, "Daddy left us." _

_"Yes mam," his heart felt like somebody had closed a fist around it as she laid down the picture frame among the many others. They were pictures of his dad, all of them, and some had his mom and/or him in them. _

_She took the first slash. The glass shattered, the picture ripped with the movement. Choking back a sob, Carlos followed her lead. When all the frames were finally destroyed, their knifes hit the floor. Both of them collasped in tears, shaking with sobs and lossing any grip they'd had before. The little boy knew his father had left because his mom was cheating on him and had been. But he fled and didn't take him with him...why? Why would he leave her with this phyco? _

_Suddenly, her arms were around him gently. He buried his face in her chest, sighing with tears in the sound. Both of them just lay there on the tile, tears slipping down their cheeks. _

_"You and me," she whispered into his ear, "you and me, kid." _

_"Stick...like glue," he mumbled. _

_"Just like two..." she mumbled. _

_"Lovers do," they managed. _

"Cartilos?" she was now curled up in his chest, clinging to his shirt innocently.

"Yes, Katie girl?" he sat her up, knowing exactly what she needed.

"I'm sleepy," she buried her face in his neck, "I wanna go home."

He rubbed her back gently, carrying her back to the loft. Laying her on her bed, he kissed her forehead and tried to exit before he figured out a tiny hand still held his shirt edge. Smiling at her closed eyes, he laid beside her and let her curl up against him. Smiling as she dreamed, he whispered into her ear.

"You and me," he spoke, "you and me, kid."

"Sticking like glue," it was almost like she knew .

"Just like two..." he wondered if she'd know.

"Lovers do," they finished before they countined a nap.


	24. Luck run out

Hush little Sister 24

Author Note: Okay, it's almost Christmas, so I forgive you Football and BTR. But you're not my friend if you do that to me. I'm sorry, but there isn't a second chance. And now that I've said that...Merry Christmas, everybody!

_XXXXXXXX _

Carson's escape hadn't been an easy one.

_"He's getting away!" a officer's voice screamed as he ran down the hallway. He'd managed to pick the lock with his nails, and now he was running as fast as he legs could possbily take his fat, mentally damaged man. _

_The guards screamed for him to stop until he slammed into the door, making the lock shatter. Growling at them, he snatched it of it's hinges and threw it blindly, stumbling away from them. When he got out, he stared at the large barrier in front of him. Frantically, he tore up the side, sliding down everytime. When a couple of guards caught him, his first instict was to fight. He punched one's face, making him collaspe from force, but then he got a better idea. Shoving the second to the wall, he jumped onto his shoulders and snatched the barbwire. His hands were so thick and callased, he barely felt it as he fell over. Rising, he bolted away from the sirens into night. _

He'd broken into Jackson's home and tried to hack the computar to find out where they were. He knew they were with, considering there was an old newsaper article on it. When he'd failed, he found somebody very important to his plan.

_After using some exciting language at his fail, he heard a little squeak of fear. Blinking, he turned 360 and opened up a door to a room. There was a blonde huddled in the corner, looking petrified and grasping a phone. Smashing the device, he yanked her to her feet. She looked about Kendall's age, and was very pretty. _

_"What's a chick like you doing here?" he demanded to the shaking girl. _

_"I...I was just coming to remember...what it was like...when my b-boy-boyfriend was around," she managed. _

_"Kendall Jones?" he inquired, and what teeth he had showed when she nodded weakly, "do you know where he is?" _

_"I'm c-ca-calling the cops!" she choked. _

_"Take me to him," she didn't have the stregnth to fight him. _

"P-please," Jo begged her captatior when he returned to the little home he'd 'borrowed' for them outside Hollywood, "l-let m-me go."

"And let you tell the plan?" he laughed, stroking her face with one finger, "besides, it'd be a shame for a pretty face like that to get broken."

He felt her breathing quicken as she whispered, "Yes sir."

"Go to sleep, Josephine," he smiled his devilish smile, "big day in the morning." She was in the bed quickly, trembling.

Sighing contently, he swigged out of his beer and leaned back. Her fear was something that he could use and is what made him stronge. Kendall wasn't scared of him, and even though Katie was, she had her brother to make her hopeful and stronger. But Jo was petrified and she didn't have her boyfriend to save her, and she knew it, too. So she did as she was told, and he didn't abuse her...yet.

Sleep was creeping over his mind. Shutting his eyes, he remebered how terrfied Katie was when she realized he was back and how she wouldn't tell. He'd have to get her trusting him again. Ever since Amelia...she was all he wanted. Who cared about her brother? She was the spitting image of her mother, and that's why he loved her. That was the only reason they weren't dead yet. Luck, they said, because they escpaed.

Their luck just ran out


	25. Jennifer

Hush little Sister 24

Author Note: ELEVATE! EEEEEEPPP! I love that CD, I got it last night! EEEEEEPPP!

_XXXXXXXXX _

Katie was still on edge, despite her brothers' promises to keep her safe. She was walking with James to the candy store when a car crashed into the parking meter beside them. Terrified screams filled the air instantly, and she was sure her's was the loudest. Two hands snatched her up, she heard yelling, a terrified yelp, something ran down her face...

And then there was blackness.

XXXXXXX

"I'm sorry," Jo was sobbing hysterically, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Katie stroked her curls gently, assuringly, "he's just...this was going to happen anyway."

"But I-I could h-have tr-tired to protect you..." she sputtered, "you-you shouldn't h-have had to be put through t-this again."

"Jo," the five year old hugged her neck securley, "it's going to be fine. It was the first time, it will again."

"I can assure you of that," Carson's eyes might as well have been red, the way they cut into the darkness of the little room he kept the two in. It'd been two days since the kidnapping, and since then Katie had been trying to be strong for an emtionally-wrecked Jo, which was a bit backwards.

"Let us go," Katie, for some reason, wasn't really scared of him. She was, but not like she used to be.

"Darling, I assure you I will if that is what you want," he knelt down to her level, and the lights peirced the two's eyes when it came out, "but please, allow me to explain."

The five year old's eyes narrowed at this. She didn't care for him, and quite honestly, she was tired of him hurting her. No more would he injure her or anything else. She'd had enough.

"No," she snarled, not caring if he swung at her.

"Killing your mother was the worst mistake I ever made," he explained anyway, "and now I regret it. But you...you're the spitting image of her. I can't loose you, Katie..."

"It's Katilyn,"

"..Katilyn, I just can't. I promise, one more chance. One more chance..and I'll protect you forever."

"Lier," she hissed. She was really testing him, and this was scaring Jo almost half to death.

"Shut up!" the older girl threw a hand over her mouth, but the child pushed away and got into her father's face.

"You have hurt me and my family for the last time!" she was yelling now, "I'm SICK AND TIRED OF IT! You will NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!"

"But baby..." he reached out to stroke her hair.

"NEVER AGAIN!" she repeated at the top of her lungs, kicking him in a place that should never be kicked. Jo's face paled as she bolted out of the door and tore desperatley at the lock.

It clicked too late.

XXXXXXXX

Kendall was very close to falling apart.

He was crying and searching for his sister constently, moaning her name and worrying himself sick. James wasn't much better, and Carlos was shivering in fear and Logan's worrying powers had gone into overdrive. Only Jackson's head seemed to be on straight, but he was scared, too. He'd heard that Carson had broken out of jail, and the thought of what he'd do to her if he'd gotten her...

The ringing of his phone scared them all but out of their skin. Grasping it, he jerked it open, taking the top off. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end about made him drop the phone, "Hello, Jackson."

"Jennifer?" he demanded, "why are you calling me?"

"Calm down, don't blow a gasket," she snorted on the other end, "I'm going to help you get your charge back and save your job."

XXXXXXXXX

"So what's the big deal? She's going to help us!" Carlos asked as they all stared out of the window, waiting for her to arrive.

"We don't exactly like each other," he replied bitterly, "long story that I don't like telling."

"Is that her?" James pointed to the beauty getting out of her Jeep. Her red hair fell below her ribcage, and her eyes beatiful and soft brown, complementing her dark blue skirt and white puffy shirt and matching high heels.

"Nice to see you again, Jackson," she spoke when she got up, turning to the four boys, "alright, which one of you in Kendall?"

"I am," he spoke fearlessly, walking up to her and crossing his arms, "what's it to you?" Their eyes flashed as they met, both of them standing their ground strong.

"I'm here to help find your sister," her words were coated with reluctantness, "tell me what you about your father."

"He's not my father," but he told her everything he knew until the emotional toll shut him up.

XXXXXXXX

Jennifer was less than entustastic about helping these five, and even more so about having to sleep in the girl's room. But this was to help an innocent child, and maybe she could get her job back if she did this. The reason she got fired was stupid, and if she got rehired, she'd get her revenge. So she'd decided she could handle it for a little while.

"Ms. Knight?" a voice made her jump a little.

"Logan?" she guessed, and she saw a small figure nod in response.

"You are going to find Katie, right?" he asked, and she was about to tell him maybe, but then she realized how scared this boy was. This had to be hard, seeing everyone so emotionally wrcked and having his sister figure missing.

"I'll do my best," and she abided with fitfull sleep.


	26. Easy way or Hard way?

Hush little Sister 26

"These DNA prints are acient," Jennifer grumbled, rising, "but how? He's so tricky..." She sighed loudly and set down the machine, racking her brain for possible solutions.

"Of course he's tricky," Kendall scoffed, "he's a sick man."

"Most boy's don't talk of their father's this way," she commented, tired of his rudeness toward her.

"Yeah, well most ladies aren't all bitter. single and deadbeats," he fired back, and both of them went silent after that, stony silenced toward each other.

"I give up," she sighed, "I'll have to get samples another way." She proceeded to try and scan the couch.

The blonde rolled his eyes and stormed into the living room, flopping back on a big chair. He worried sick about Kaite, and he was almost positive that Carson had her. If he did anything to her...No. If he DID he have her...

He hand closed around his pocket knife as he stepped out of the apartment.

XXXXXXX

Kaite watched with frightened eyes as Carson did something in the kitchen. Her moment of bravery was over, and she was still counting her lucky stars he hadn't killed her and Jo. Instead he'd grabbed Jo back and put the two in the room, throwing in a boc of toys. He told them he'd be back to get them for supper and until then they should have fun, but niether of them had touched the box, much less the toys inside. Instead they'd cried until they'd fallen asleep, and now they were waiting outside the kitchen at the dining room table.

"What's he doing in there?" she whispered to the blonde.

"I don't know," she wrung her hands, obviously afraid, "I am so scared."

"Me, too," she whispered, looking at her hands in her lap. Suddenly, there was a piece of pizza on her plate, cheese with stuffed crust.

"Diner," he spoke, sitting across from the two, "is served." Both girls just stared at the pizza, not moving anything but their eyes.

"What did you do to it?" the eleven year old mumbled.

"Nothing bad," he promised, "I promise." He showed them crooked teeth, and the blonde decided that it'd be wise to eat it.

Slowly, she lifted it to her mouth and nibbled on the end. She was fighting not recoil as she ate it, and her eyes moved to Katie. The five year old whimpered when she understood, lifting it off the plate as well. It was declious, but both of them barely tasted it through the fear. Suddenly, the youngest threw hers, and it hit Carson dead in the face. Both of them stared, horrified, as he unpeeled it, face now saucy and twisted. Suddenly, he laughed a little and held it to her.

"You've got good aim," his anger was covered in sugar-coat, and the brunette bit her lower lip, not knowing whether or not to believe it. Suddenly, she was in his lap, and he was trying to feed her.

The curly-haired girl dropped her slice and almost threw up. This couldn't be real, this couldn't be happening. It was almost as if he was trying to be nice. But he was scary, and she knew what he'd done to Kendall and Katie, considering she'd told her. And now this? This had to be some sort of evil, crazy plot to kill them all.

"May I be excused?" her voice was barely above a whisper, but he nodded and went back to feeding his daughter.

XXXXXXXX

"Hey," Carlos' voice almost scared Kendall out of his skin, "wait up, dude!" The sort of leader turned around to see his three best friends rushing up to him.

"What are you guys doing here?" he demanded, ducking into an alley so they could talk and not get trampled by the many people of the streets. He'd made it just outside of Hollywood in hopes of finding them there, and he'd planned on going solo.

"We care about her too," Logan reminded when they finally reached him, "we're going with you."

"No," he didn't want them to do the mission he had to do.

"We stick together, we're a team," James responded, "and we're going with you no matter what. It's time for us to save my Katie Kat."

"Your? Whatever," Kendall scoffed, "the answer is no."

"We don't care," Carlos stuck out his tongue.

"We're not going away," Logan told him stubborny, but even though he said it boldly, he slunk against Carlos.

"We all love her and are going to protect her," James stuck out his hand, "now are willing to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"Hard way," he mumbled, storming off. But even so he turned around about ten yards past and called, "You guys coming?"


	27. Prove my love

Hush little Sister 27

"Daddy…" Katie woke up in her father's lap, his arms around her gently and securely, "what happened?"

"You fell asleep after eating," he chuckled, "you're so beautiful when you sleep."

"You hate me," she shuddered, remembering what had happened all those other times she'd wound up in his arms…or grip period.

"Katie…" his voice quivered before he cleared it, blinking quickly, "hurting you…that was the worst mistake I have ever mind in my life. You are the spitting image of your mother…I need you to trust me again. I don't ever expect you to forgive me…but please. I love you, I need you to believe that. You need to know I will never stop trying. I will always try to make it up to you…even if I can't. I know I will never be able to heal what I have done to you. I took you're mother away from you. I ripped away you're happiness for three year. I tortured you and I hurt you physically as well as emotionally. And if could change anything…it'd be that first night after I beat you and your brother. I remember that feeling, and I should have took it then."

_Carson mumbled exciting things under his breath, ranting on what he'd done and what he truly was. He finally found his pocket knife and opened it with hardly any thought. He ripped off his shirt and started to thrust it into his heart. _

"_I don't deserve to life!" he screamed, "I've ruined their lives already! They hate me, I killed her!" But suddenly he dropped it, going to his knees and screaming in agony. _

_He'd lost it all…including his mind. _

"You wouldn't be so hurt now if I had," his voice cracked even more now, "I will go to Hades soon. I will get the fate I deserve. Gah, I deserve _worse _for all I've done. But know I will always love you. Please, just let me show you while I can." She stared, shocked beyond belief, into his pleading eyes.

She didn't believe it…or did she? She was five, she didn't understand a lot of things. But she understood a little of what it meant to be truly sorry. It was something you just knew from instincts. She was more mature in trusting only herself than most grown men were, but…how could she allow herself to be with him? He'd hurt her so much, that's all he'd ever done. Why would now be any different?

She needed her brother. She had to have him to tell her what to do and how to cope with all of this. She needed him to give her the answers. She couldn't do it alone. She couldn't hold her own.

She just couldn't.

"Daddy hurts…" she whispered the first words she knew, and he grabbed her shoulders, kissing her all over her face. She was paralyzed, face frozen in total shock and terror.

When he'd kissed everything but her lips, he sat back on his ankles and mumbled, not looking at her as he rested his forehead on hers, "Katie, I know. I'm just a sick man."

"Daddy hurts," she slowly wrapped her arms around him, "but…but maybe I can save him."

"You will never know," he smiled down to her like a snake, "how glad I am to hear those words."

XXXXXXX

"I'm never going to find her," Kendall mumbled as the four huddled together on the streets of Hollywood. The almost endless city wasn't at all like the pictures on the ads now.

The four terrified eleven year olds were in a bunch, shivering violently. They were all cold and tired, but none of them wanted to give into sleep. All four of them were desperate and depressed, and now even Kendall was losing it.

"You've been telling us that same thing isn't true the past two days," James squeezed his friend's hands, "so now I'm reminded you it isn't."

"Katie needs me…" he didn't try to hide his tears at all, "she's probably dead…"

"Even if she is…" Carlos squeezed Kendall's hand around the pocket knife, and the blonde sniffed.

"I've failed her all her life," he sat back and sighed shallowly, "will I ever stop hurting her?"

"You've only healed her," Logan looked up at his friend, speaking for the first time since they set off, "she's waiting for you. She always has, she always will. She knows you'll be the one she can always trust, the one who will always give her the answers. Carson Knight is not her father. Kendall Knight is."

The leader figure blinked through the icy rain and tears at the brunette, seeing the stone seriousness set on his face, "You're right. But she knows now that she can trust you all too. And that's because I know that now."

"I thought you'd never trust us," Carlos smiled a little as they got back into their huddle.

"You said if I even thought about Katie I was dead when we first met," James chuckled slightly at the memory.

"I had trust issues, I know," he nodded, rolling his hands together, "and I guess I'll never trust the world. I'll never trust Carson or anybody else. But you've all shown me something important. I _can _trust _real _family. Officer Johnson is my _real _father. You guys are my brothers. Katie's my little sister and my best friend. Jo is my girlfriend and Katie's big sister. You all are my family. And that's all I'm ever really going to need to get through this."

"We're always going to be sorry about him," James reminded, "I can't help but think I could have helped somehow."

"Nobody could have helped us," he lowered his gaze to his shoes, "he made sure of it. You guys…you understand me too much. But nobody can understand the pain I felt every night, physically and emotionally. It was tearing me apart…and I know what I would have done if the escape failed. I would have ended Katie's pain. And then I would have ended his pain, and then I wouldn't have ended my pain." The trio just looked at him, understanding exactly what would have happened if he hadn't been rescued.

"But you were," Logan piped up, "and even though he's got her…you're going to end this. Both of you deserve better."

"_She _will always deserve better," he traced the cool blade with his finger, "I don't matter to anybody. I can handle it, I'm not meant to have it better."

"But why?" Carlos demanded, and his friend got very quiet. He didn't really know _why_, he'd just always felt like she deserved better than him.

"Because she's innocent and my baby sister," he finally said, "and I'm always going to put her first."

XXXXXX

"Unbelievable!" Jackson shouted at Jennifer, "you let them go! I knew I should never have trusted you."

"I'm not the one who abused your heart!" she shouted back, growling with rage that was deeper than her shade of hair.

"You are the one who never showed up!"

"You are the one who _lied _and cheated! I wasn't going through with it if you were that low!"

"I was trying to stop it, I'm telling you! But she pulled me in and set me up,"

"I don't believe you," she threw down her scanner, watching it shatter, "all these years and you're still lying. You just hate me, Jackson Henry Johnson."

"But I don't," he grabbed her hands, tears in his own eyes, "I love you so much. But you won't let me prove it."

"Prove you love me by helping me prove I love the boys and the girl," she suddenly demanded, jumping up.

"Now you want me to lie?"

"I do care for them. Even more so Kendall. Look, him and I are alike in more ways than you think," she pulled on her coat, "I'll tell you on the way."

Author Note: Hm…what exactly is Ms. Knight's story?


	28. Best and only friend

Hush little Sister 28

Author Note: Hey, just so there's no confusion: Kendall and Katie's last names are Jones, not Knight. I keep mixing them from habit, my bad! But just so you know! ^_^

_XXXXXXX_

"So what is possibly alike between you and my…son?" Jackson demanded as Jennifer and him searched in her car down the Hollywood streets.

"I knew his mom," she swerved the car to parrell park, which gave him a chance to gasp and kick out in shock.

"Amelia Jones?" he asked, eyes widening, and she nodded, "and how is that?"

"When I first started to work for your force, I met her over coffee," she explained how the two women had met.

"_Officer Knight," Amelia smiled warmly at the cop, "thank you so much for coming." _

"_I'm doing my job," she sat at a table with her, grabbing their coffee quickly, "now what is the problem, mam?" _

"_Well…" the women was usually confident, but today it was gone, "my husband…he's been abusing me. I think he wants to…kill me. And if he does…I have two young children at the house." _

"_What's your address?" the officer was concerned deeply and shocked by this women's knowledge and knowing of her terror. _

"_If my husband finds out…he'll kill me quickly," she jumped up, "I need your help, but if you tell a soul…he'll know." _

"_Mam, I have to," she grabbed the women's shoulder to make her look her dead in the eye, "please tell me." _

"_No…" she began to weep, and the officer let go, sighing and slumping over, trying to figure out how to coax her. _

"_I think we could be friends," she offered her hand, "I'm Jennifer." Shakily, the younger women shook it, thanking her with big, watery eyes. _

"I saw for myself what was going on as a secret," she told her former co-worker, "I know even you didn't know. But remember when Lillian told you that I was a murder? There's a true story behind that." The seriousness in her eyes made him know what she was about to tell him was true.

"_Are you ready yet?" even though the two women were best friends now, Amelia still knew the primes purpose, and Jennifer knew that. _

"_I think it may be safe," Amelia looked more than relieved, but that's when two hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her to the ground. A slap brought Jennifer beside her in the little warehouse where they'd met up, and Carson's furious face was evil in the moonlight of the abanded yard he was never supposed to find. _

"_You didn't think I knew?" he snarled, throwing his wife across the floor, "you're finished." _

_Jennifer cursed him out and started to fire her gun, but he stuck his finger in the barrel, making it blow her back. When she woke up, blood was all over her, and the scent of death was heavy. The used knife was beside her and a lifeless body, and her stomach reversed as she heard the sirens. _

"Carson killed my best and only friend," Jennifer's voice was full of un- describable pain and rage, "and now I'm going to get him back for what he did to Amelia, to me, and what he did to those kids. He's a monster."

"I am sorry nobody believed you," Jackson just knew to believe her story somehow.

"You're the only one who knows," her words made him freeze in place. Why would she only tell him?

"Jennifer.." he began, but she pointed to a Fruit Smacker wrapper and looked at him.

"The boys are near," she revived the engine, "let's go."

"Jennifer…" he looked at her, "I admire you..and I'm sorry."

"Whatever," she smirked a tiny bit, "maybe I can call you my new only friend."


	29. Violence is the answer?

Hush little Sister 29

"Jo, please!" tears soaked up the five year old's face.

"Trust me, Katie," the blonde was crying just as hard, if not harder, "I've got this. I have come too to turn back. I will save you, I promise I'll come back."

"Just like Daddy promised he'd never hurt me again," she choked a little, "how do I know I can trust either of you?"

"Because we're family," she squeezed the young girl's hands and finally kicked open the vent she'd been prying on ever since she'd excused herself the past night from the table, "and family sticks together." With that, she wiggled herself into the vent and started to push herself.

When the blonde was gone, the five year old whimpered and rushed out of the room. She hated this plan, and she had a feeling this would end ugly. But she went to her father's room, clutching the gun.

"Jo tried to escape," she forced the words off her lips, "so…" She held up the gun and sobbed.

"Katie, violence isn't the answer!" he raised up his hand, as if to slap her, and she cowered. Suddenly, he dropped his hand and cursed himself, scratching his neck, as if punishing himself.

"I'm sorry!" she wept, feeling as she was just plunged headfirst into the past again.

"I taught you the wrong thing," he threw his arms around her, "don't be like me, Katilyn. _Never _be like your father."

XXXXXXXX

"Kendall?" Jo looked a lot like Kendall when he emerged first out of the home of Carson, minus abuse bruises, as she raced through the streets, nearly blinded by the light and confused, "Kendall!"

Suddenly, she crashed into someone, and she fell backwards, starting to bawl. She felt two hands lift her up and lead her somewhere dark, which eased the agony on her eyes. Struggling to regain her composure, she blinked and tried to figure out who the figure was.

"Jo? Oh my gosh, you're gross! What happened to you?" he spoke, starting to try and clean her up.

"Carlos," she threw her arms around his neck. Moments later, she felt Logan and James holding her tightly.

"What are you doing here?" James asked as the trio lead her into a public restroom to clean her up, ignoring the protesting women.

So she explained everything that had happened, causing them all to start crying and hugging. Then Logan described their plan to go and save Katie, and the emotionally bonded started all over again.

"I promised her I'd come back," the curly haired girl sniffed, "I've got to go with you."

"Look, no way," Logan told her firmly, "you've got to recover. Your undernourished, your beat up, your filthy, and your miserable. We can't allow you to hurt yourself anymore."

"But she's my family too," she got to her feet shakily, "and I will never leave her. Carson his trying to get her to trust him…I think she does. We have to save her, I just know he's going to murder her."

"You're really brave, but let us be the heroes for once. You've done all you can. You'll only hurt her worse if you go and get yourself killed," Carlos put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"But…if I don't help you…and show you…" she was crying hard, "…then you….will die…"

"We wouldn't do that to you and Katie," James pulled her into the hug, "a promise is a promise."

"Where…where is Kendall?" she suddenly asked.

"He went to get us food," Carlos suddenly knew how to assure her, "he's our leader, you know? If he could survive Carson abusing him every night for three long years…he can survive and save us all from him taking his little sister's life."

"I hope your right…" the girl cleaned up her face again and hugged them all in turn, "I have to go home."

"No," she suddenly was in her boyfriend's arms, "I lost you once. And I will never lose you again."

XXXXXXX

The bed felt so empty and cold without Jo around. Katie was curled up in a ball, weeping softly to herself. She missed her entire family, and she never felt so lost or confusion. She didn't have anybody to tell her what to do. For the first the first time, she was truly alone.

"Katie," Carson was suddenly beside her in the bed, stroking her hair and hands, "I'm sorry. You know I love you, right?"

She didn't respond, and he laid down, sighing and closing his eyes tired, old eyes.

"My appoint with death is coming," he murmured, "I wish you have the life you always deserved." When he'd finally left, she slipped out of bed and pulled a pocket knife out of a drawer and studied it.

She could always feel what Kendall was thinking now. He was coming, she just knew it by the tingling she got when she touched the blade. Sighing, she dropped the weapon and let out a sob.

"Violence isn't the answer…she murmured, "but that's not our answer."


	30. Monster

Hush little Sister 30

"This is the place," Jo was crouched with the three boys, all of them decked out in tree hats they made.

"My little sister is in there," Kendall gripped the knife tighter, "it's finally time to end this."

"Got it," the other four rose slowly and started to creep toward the door.

"CARSON!" Kendall bellowed, banging loudly and rudely on the door, "OPEN UP!" The second the door opened, he kicked out, catching something warm and soft.

"Kendall!" Carson used many colorful words as he threw his son into the trashcans, his head smacking against the side of the house.

"You idiot!" Logan cried as Carlos and James jumped ontop of the insane man, clawing wildly and blindly.

"This was not the plan," Jo knelt down just as fast to check on her boyfriend.

"What plan?" the blonde grinned a grin that matched his father's, (Shudder,) and charged into the house, "Katie!"

"Kenny?" the small girl stumbled out, not seeing the darkness of night, "Kenny, is that you?"

"Oh my…Katie!" he threw his arms around her, feeling all over her tiny body, "are you hurt?" He was crying hysterically with her, and that's when he felt a stinging sensation explode on his back.

He yowled in pain and surprise, letting go of her and moving in a defensive position. The belt came down again, this time toward his face, and the eleven year old crumpled. Logan was sobbing with Jo as their friend was beat down by the crazy man, just like he'd always known from him. Carlos was bloody and unconscience, and James was weak, sprawled across the floor. The once pretty boy stumbled to Kaite weakly, grabbing her.

"We…" he managed in a breaking voice, "run…" She bolted out as his hands went slack, screaming and begging to anybody for help.

Suddenly, she crashed into a figure on the street. She clung to it just like she had the first time she escaped from her father, begging for help.

"What is it, little girl?" it was a dark haired beauty that had curly hair and big brown eyes.

"Daddy…hurts…" she managed, and she remembered that night all over again, "Kenny is dying inside…please…help…"

The elven year watched, frozen with confusion and fear, as something was thrown out of the yard gate. She forced her legs to move her to the body with the little girl, and the five year old screamed.

"Jo!" she wailed, and when another figure was thrown beside it, she screamed, "Logan!"

"Kendall…" the boy croaked, "gah, no…this isn't…"

"Please…" the girl and boy both looked tortured, in agony, physically and emotionally.

The dark haired girl didn't understand anything and was terrified. She'd just been taking a night walk when all this started happening all too fast. It didn't take but a blink of an eye for a crazy man to grab up the boy, Logan, and the girl, Jo, and glare at the girl.

"Katilyin," he hissed, "get back in here. And bring your friend. Move one wrong muscle and your brothers are dead." She nodded, like she wanted to run again, and pulled her with her.

"What? No!" she jerked free, but the man snatched her neck and threw her toward the house before them, kicking her to make her get in.

Petrified, she scrambled inside and allowed him to toss her like she was trash into a smelly, dark, wet room. Jo and Logan were in there just as quick, along with the little girl, Katie, and then three other boys.

"Now this is how it's going to work, you brats," the man boomed cruelly, "I know people heard that screaming. We're leaving at daybreak and we ain't coming back. You're going to stay with me for the rest of your lives. I tried to give you a chance and tried to do over what I did…but I guess that's not possible. So we're going back to square one."

"You're a monster," Kendall hissed, despite being near broken, "and that's the understatement of the year."

"Am I really, Kenneth?" he grabbed the boy's neck and shoved him into his own face, "because I didn't drag my friends into this mess." With that he let his son go for the time being, storming out.

"Guys…" the blonde broke down in sobs, hugging Katie tightly his chest, "I'm so sorry!"


	31. Stephanie's place

Hush little Sister 31

"This is bad, this is very, very bad," Logan mumbled over and over again as Carson blared them down the highway. All seven of the kids were scrunched up in the back of the SUV, pressed tightly against one another in awkward postions.

"No duh," Carlos kicked him in the shoulder and looked with concern to his best friend, "it's not your fault."

"If I hadn't just charged right in there...we wouldn't be caught," Kendall sniffed mournfully, and Katie reached up to kiss his cheek and curl up in his arms.

"We're all safe right now," she reminded gently, "and you saved me."

"But..." he sighed and looked at the girl who got dragged into this the night before, "what's your name again?"

"Camille," she spoke barely above a whisper, being EXTREMLEY shy and _EXTREMLEY_ petrified.

"I'm Jo," the blonde girl slid next to her best she could, "sorry this happened to you, we didn't mean it to...but we can explain everything." And by the time they did, all of them had tears going down their faces and Camille was shaking.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help before..." she managed to sniff finally, "but I will now. It's destiny that I ended up with you guys and nobody else did. We can all do this...together." She spoke just as they pulled up to the airport.

XXXXXXXX

"Logie?" Katie looked up at her brother figure, "are you okay?" She seemed to be the only one who noticed he seemed a bit on edge.

"I..." he blinked, coming out of a daze, "I'm perfectly fine."

"Logie," she said seriously, matching her look with her tone of voice, "you can tell me if something's bothering you."

He sighed and wrung his hands nervously, "I can't. I...I promised her I would never..." He lowered his head, and she reached up and gently placed her hand on his head.

"Don't cry," she whispered, stroking away a stray tear, "they don't have to know." She moved her eyes to the others in the plane.

Carson was snoring loudly at the front of the plane, pretending like he didn't know them. Carlos was snoozing, stretching out across two of the plane chairs. James was trying to do the same, but he was ontop of Carlos, and he moved and talked in his sleep, so it was kind of hard, adding on the fact his feet were in his knees. Jo was curled up with Camille, and they were watching a movie behind them. Kendall comprised by passing out on the other side of Katie, by the window, while holding onto Jo's hand and listening to her music.

"Okay..." Logan took her on a little trip down memory lane.

_"Whoah!" his best friend and partner in crime laughed as the two ducked behind the dumsters, the cops rushing past them, "that was intense!" _

_"You're a crazy person!" he cowered a little as she handed him a slice of pizza, "robbing Pizza Hut? Really?" _

_"Shut up and savor the pepperoni," she shrugged, taking a big bite, "or I goin call you Logie..." _

_"No!" he hated her calling him that, simply because she teased him and acted like he was a baby when she did, "Elizabeth, why?" _

_"Shut up!" she shrieked, pushing him over as he laughed at her, "it's Lizzie! LIZZIE!" _

_"Guys..." a small voice piped beside Logan, "are we...are we leaving soon?" _

_"What's the problem, Stephie?" he looked at the youngest member of the three. _

_"I...I hate this town," she started to sob, "the kids at school are so cruel...I hate it. I truly do." _

_"What happened?" Lizzie crouched beside her assuringly. _

_"I...I...the girls of this town...and in school...bully me..." she pulled up her baggy sleeve to show a bruise. Both of the older kids gasped as she showed them other small wounds on herself. _

_"We're leaving," Lizzie declared, scooping up the six year old, "now." _

_"Are you sure we can?" the nine year old boy scrambled up after the girl who was five years older. _

_"Of course!" the fourteen year old kept on walking, "keep up, slowpoke!" He smiled and chased after her, falling in step. _

"Boy, I loved Lizzie," Logan blinked, as if remembering the times, "and I loved Stephie. But then..." He choked up for a minute.

_"Stephie?" Lizzie shook her little sister figure's shoulders, "Stephie!" _

_"Oh no..." Logan felt for a pulse, "no!" _

_"Stephie! No!" the oldest shrieked, running with everything she had, hauling the lifeless girl in her arms. Stephanie had gotten sick, and she never made it to the hospital. Not even Lizzie was able to outrun death. _

_"Elizabeth!" Logan screamed, tackling his big sister figure when she reached for her gun in her pocket. _

_"No!' the curly-haired dark headed beauty's eyes were full of sadness, "Stephanie can't be dead! She CAN'T!" She sobbed uncontrolably into his shoulder, her whole body racking. _

_"Elizabeth, stay with me!" he was pleading with her as the rain pelted on them, "it's not your fault!" _

_"She didn't have a home, and I was supposed to protect her," she wept, "and I failed her. And I failed you." _

_"You haven't failed us," he promised, and when he stroked her cheeks to swipe the tears, he felt her fever. _

"She died pretty quick," the tears were freely falling now, "and I was left alone...to the orphanage." And he wouldn't go on from there.

"I am so sorry," she wrapped her arms around his neck, "does that mean I can take Stephanie's place?" He was silent for a moment.

"Of course, Katie girl," he started to sob into her shoulder, "of course. I won't fail you like I did them. Ever."

'Author Note: Okay, you'll find out more on Logan's past later. Patience, my dears..:)


	32. Lies

Hush little Sister 32

Katie woke up the sound of her brother trying once again trying to pick the lock. She sighed softly and reached to touch his hand, causing him to stop and stare at her.

"I'm okay…" even in the darkness, she knew there were bags under his eyes.

"Rest," she whispered softly, "you need it."

"What I _need _is to save you all," he sank back onto his knees, "I got us into the mess all over again. But now I've put my best friends, my girlfriend, and some innocent girl in danger too. He was right: I am a monster."

"You're trying," she was shocked at these words, "you will save us. You love us all…well, maybe not Camille, but you are the nicest person ever."

"I've made mistakes," he mumbled, going back to the first of many bolts and locks, "I am not a hero or anything great."

"You're my superhero," she buried her face in his chest, "you're everything a daddy should be. I love you, Kenny."

"I love you, too, Katie…" he dropped the hairclip and wrapped his arms around her trembling body, "you shouldn't love a monster."

"You're not a monster!" she practically yelled, "you are Kenny! You are _my _Kenny!"

The two siblings just sat there after that, staring into each other's eyes. James stirred and squinted, seeing the two of them curled up together, having been waken by her cry. He crawled over and touched his friend's shoulder.

"She's right, you know," he smiled, even though nobody could see it.

"Maybe," the blonde mumbled, lifting the now sleeping five year old in his arms and laying her between Jo and Camille, who were also asleep, "it's my fault we're so far from our home and Officer Johnson and Jennifer are scared and we're going to get beat until we die."

"Look, dude," apparently James wasn't the only one awake, because Carlos' voice cut into the darkness, "that son of a gun isn't touching any of us."

"And he's not laying another finger on you period…no matter what," Logan's voice agreed.

"He's not laying a finger on Katie no matter what," the sort of leader corrected as the two made there way over, "or Jo, or Camille. And if at all possible not you guys. I deserve it…I always have."

They were silent for a long time.

"Kendall," James finally knew what he had to say, "who told you that?"

"That…beast,"

"And that beast told you he loved you before and was a 'dad' once, right?"

"A long time ago…" the blonde was grateful the darkness hid his splashing tears.

"And they were lies. Everything he ever told you, Kendall, was a lie. And saying you deserved the life you had for three years and calling you a monster was a lie too."

"What would I do without you guys?" the blonde sniffed and started a group hug with them all.

"Be better off?" Carlos joked, and he nodded, smiling weakly.

"Come on," he knelt down again, finding the clip, "you guys can help me."


	33. Completed

Hush little Sister 33

Author Note: Yes, it HAS been forever...sowwy! :)

* * *

><p>A month was all it took to put Kendall and Katie in about the same state they were in before they'd been saved.<p>

Both were undernorished and covered in brusies and marks from Carson's violence, and the rest of them weren't much better. The three guys were weak and ghostly looking, Jo was scared to the point where she'd scream at any sudden movement, and Camille was so scared the hardley came out from behind Logan.

Kendall cursed, throwing the clip down, "It's no use. We're never gettin' out of here. I failed."

"You...haven't yet," Katie crawled into his arms, "never give up."

He kissed the top of her head and buried his face among the brown so she didn't see his tears. He _had _given up. On himself. But never on saving them.

No way in _Hades _would that happen.

"Kids!" Carson's drunken voice made the two siblings cringe in sync.

"Crap..." Logan and Camille slunk against each other, holding each other super tight to try and endure the soon to be pain.

When he saw the gun in his father's hand, Kendall knew that one of them was going to be killed that night. The man's face was tortured in agony, and it wasn't like it wasn't always, but...

Then they saw the blood.

"D..daddy?" Katie whimpered, clutching her brother's shirt front for her dear life.

"I'm dying..." he gasped, ripping off his shirt. There was a bullet wound in his side, and then another on his shoulder, and all of them gasped.

Camille and Jo had to rush to a window to get sick, Logan and Carlos at their heels, and James looked mortified, "Why?"

Kendall didn't really care _why_, but so much as to _how_. He then noticed the knife in his father's hand, and how the gun's end was hot to the touch. His eyes widened in realazation as the man writhered.

"I felt guilty, stupid..." he looked up to his son, "well, son. This is it. I will never hurt you kids again."

"Drunk people are crazy," Katie repeated what her brother had told her before, and he nodded as he picked up the knife.

"But it's what going to save us," he felt a strong surge of emotion hit him as he approached his dying parent.

He'd made their childhood's living a living hell, but...he was still their father. But the blonde pushed those thoughs away. He was living not for his parent's approval, like most children. He lived for _real _family.

For Jackson. For the boys. For Jo and Camille.

For Katie.

"You aren't my father," he felt two small hands on his own, and it knew it was finally time.

"Daddy hurts," her voice whispered, and the two of them jerked down their wrists.

* * *

><p>"Coming through!" Jackson was rushing through the crowd with growing franticness, Jennifer always at his heels.<p>

"Jennifer Knight and Jackson Johnson," she gave their names to the nurse without missing a beat with him, swinging the door open for the hospital room.

The eleven year old blonde looked up from his bed and wires. He was now once again in recovery, and tears wouldn't stop pouring down heavily. But at the same time, he was raking with sobs from relief.

"Son, I am so sorry..." the Negro felt like the lowest form of low there ever was, but the preteen just shook his head best he could.

"My life's purpose..." he croaked, "it's finally complete. The guys are safe...Camillie is, and so is Jo..."

"Maybe I had my views wrong on you," the women knelt down at his side as well, and he grinned his little grin before looking around.

"Where's Katie?"

"Kenny!" the little five year old had refused to undergo any medicine or anything until she saw him, as he'd mostly done the same, "Kenny, Daddy's gone!"

He threw his arms around her in a hug, and the policeman inquired, "And what was your life's purpose?"

"It was my dream to finally have Katie happy for good..." he kissed his little sister's head, "and...well, it was for me to be, too."


	34. Epilogue: What's left to live for

Hush little Sister

"Wow!" Katie was jumping up, down, all around, and back when she entered the home, "sooooo cool!" She rushed through the entire home, jumping on all the furniture and giggling like a girl on Christmas morning.

"Nice place," Kendall smiled up to Jennifer, looking around himself as his three best friends wrestled on the carpet.

A spare room that would now be the two sibling's, her own room, a little kitchen, and a living room with a big leather couch and a easy chair. It was so perfect in his eyes...it may not be L.A, but _this _was a _real _home.

Carson was finally gone. He could finally relax.

Well, almost.

He had a feeling his struggles weren't over with his past. What had happened to him was imprinted on his life now. He'd always have to fight his dad..even if he wasn't around in person.

But he was dead. Katie was the happiest girl alive. His best friends were being themselves. Jo had gone to her own home with his phone number. Camille had their number as well and was safe. Officer Johnson was finally content with Mrs. Knight.

So for now, he could be happy, too.

"I've really grown attached to these kids, Jennifer," Jackson had a mixture of sad and happy on his face, "but they'll be happy with you. You deserve someone in your life that'll keep you happy."

"So do you, Jackson," she smiled to the man, "we should try again sometime."

"Sometime..." he smiled to himself, "yeah. But for now...I think we're better off friends."

"Yay!" Katie finally got done with her millionth lap around the house and was now jumping into the beautiful lady's arms, "we're all happy!"

"Your parents are on their way," Jennifer informed the trio of preteen boys, and they exchanged worried/exicted looks.

"They're going to freak," they spoke as one, and Kendall could only laugh.

Sure, he didn't have his own mom now. He'd always miss her. But now he had Jennifer. The person he used to have a strong distaste for was now going to be his mother.

* * *

><p>When his three best friends had gone home after a <em>very <em>emotional episode, the blonde found it kind of weird to have it so quiet. He missed Officer Johnson.

Alot.

He was the dad he'd always wanted, and the dad Katie had always deserved. But he was still going to be around. So it wasn't like he was gone forever.

"Our lives have really changed, Katie," he commented to his baby sister as she dozed off beside him on the couch. They'd been watching TV, kind of feeling like normal kids...for example, they'd discovered they LOVED SpongeBob.

"Cause of you, Big Brother," she smiled to him, her warm brown eyes showing the happiness they should have always shown, "I love you, Kenny. Thank you."

"I love you more, Baby Sister," he kissed the top of her head, and she cuddled into him deeper.

"Happy endings do come true..." she smiled sleepily and yawning a cute little yawn.

He pulled the dark blue blanket around them a little tighter and sang the entire lullaby. It was complete...just like their lives.

_Hush little sister, don't you cry. _

_Big brother's goin' sing your favorite lullaby. _

_Hush little sister, don't let your tears stray. _

_We'll be away from him one day._

_Hush little sister, don't you fear._

_Big brother's going to dry all your tears. _

_Don't you stay awake, just have dreamful sleep. _

_I love you every day of the week. _

_Our bond is unbreakable, I know that you can see. _

_Hush little sister, just relax. _

_We'll get a home, I promised that_

She sang along with him at the last, new verse.

_We're finally happy, _

_That's so great._

_Daddy's is gone, _

_We can sleep. _

_We've got a home now, _

_and behind a safe door._

_Now what is there left,_

_To live for? _

They already knew the answer, too. It was a dream they dreamed in sync forever.

_Let's stay happy, _

_Let go of our past._

__The five year old kissed his nose and softly sang, _Dreams come true because of you. _

__He smiled and ended it, _Hush little sister, only cause I promised that. _

__Her eyes fluttered and closed, and so did his own.

* * *

><p>That day a dream came true. It took forever, but Kendall <em>Knight <em>had finally made Katie's life complete. And he hadn't done a bad job of bringing joy to himself, either.

That was because they loved each other, like all siblings did. Whether they admitted that or not, all siblings had that special bond. Just like those two.

They never lost hope. They never lost faith. And they always believed in each other.

Because protecting her was his job.

Bringing joy to him was hers.

And that was the life they would always love to live.

Big time.


	35. Post Epilogue: Fallen Angels

Hush little Sister 35

**Author Note: ***Eyes fill with tears* I was just rereading the reviews, and looking at all the followers and stats to this story...you are all amazing. Really, I am blessed you all loved this story so much.

HOWEVER...

I have a sequel that I am a little concerned nobody has noticed or cared about. If you guys would like to read it, the title is "Hush Big Brother", and in fact, this is a series of mine I will be writing. I will releash the titles on the next update of the sequel...so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check it out! :D

And, just 'cause you guys are that awesome to me, I am writing a little more on this story in a second, after the annoucement. I hope you guys don't mind a bonus chapter ;)

* * *

><p>Things were alright now.<p>

While Kendall honestly never thought he'd think/say that for the longest time, he knew they were. But at the same time, they weren't.

Carson was finally dead. Their demon father was finally dead, gone, and passed, and they didn't have to worry about him anymore. He and Katie had a new legal gaurdian who was already like their mother, and most of all, Katie was safe and happy. All of these things were the good things.

The bad thing was that he was permantely scarred; all of them were.

He'd honestly hoped letting go and moving forth with a happy life was going to be easy. He had the reason in the world to be happy and thankful, but at the same time, his body was still bruised and beaten deep inside. His heart had been shattered so many times; it was hard to see any other life than pain and suffering for him some days, even now. Images of the past stained his mind and memories, and he often had intense nightmares, ones that replayed the worst memories.

"Where are we going?" he now inquired to Ms. Knight. He and Katie had been living with her for a little less than two months, and it still made him on edge to go anywhere that might surprise him.

"Church," she replied as she pulled into a large driveway, and he paled.

It wasn't like ever not believing in God. But he had stopped believing that He cared what happened to himself and Katie.

Their mother, when she was alive, took him to church with her every Sunday and half of the time of Wednesdays. Ever since her death and the abuse began again, however, things had changed within him, not only physically and mentally, but religion wise as well. He walked in fear and doubt about everything, which meant he hadn't to gone to church in years.

And now he was being pulled right back in.

* * *

><p>Doubt was both so high, and yet so low.<p>

The blonde preteen stood in front of the cross, staring and imaganing Jesus hanging there, beaten so bad he didn't look like a man. He imagined himself in that position as well, at his father's side, and Katie crying on her knees in front of him. Shuddering, he slowly touched the wood, how smooth it was and how much beauty it seemed to bring to the alter.

"Is there a problem, son?" the preacher's old, weathered voice made the younger whirl around, face flushed and eyes cautious.

"No sir," he replied, head bowed as he mumbled his response while scurrying toward the door, "have a nice day."

"My brother in Christ, I wish to speak with you," the preacher touched the youth's shoulder lightly, making him tense up as he locked his gaze back ot his own, "I am concerned."

"You shouldn't be," that was a half lie in Kendall's mind, but it only made the elder more worried.

Needless to say, the two of them ended up sitting down on the front pew before the cross, Katie soon in her brother's lap, as the two of them reopened their history and life.

* * *

><p>Patrick Keller had seen many, many things in all of his years ago a preacher.<p>

He'd seen the abused, the physically disabled, the mentally disabled, the dying, the dead, the born, the emotional, the bipolar, the fearful, the fearless, the Untouchables, the lost, the found, the murderers, the feared, and those who were in his own family.

But he'd never seen anything quite like the two Knight children.

To him and to obviously many more, their legacy was amazing. Both of them had seen and had so much done to them at such young ages, and yet Katie was still happy, and Kendall was still protective. Both of them had true strength it took himself many, many years to gain, and both of them were also wise and hopeful. Their story was amazing, and he wanted nothing more to save their souls and teach them how to love and trust again.

It was going to take some time, bt it was far from being too late.

* * *

><p>He'd called her a little angel.<p>

Katie smiled when he told her that, and Kendall did the same, more wrly. She didn't really understand why her brother still looked a little cautious, but she was happy she would be seeing Mr. Patrick again. It gave both of them hope, and she was skipping as she walked, climbing into Kendall's lap once in the car.

"He was nice," she commetned, snuggling to his chest, and he smiled in response to that.

Hope.

It was a beautiful thing, and most of all, it erased his doubt and filled him with a fact that was even better:

The two of them were still loved.

* * *

><p>Kendall and Katie were going to amount to amazing things and she knew it.<p>

They were her children now, and while that brought many preassures, she knew she could raise them with a little guidance from God and from the community of their small Minnosata town. As they adapted to the cold once again, they could also adapt to Christianty and learn to trust and love with gentle hands and loving smiles. After the service, her faith was renewed, as was her bravery and detirmanation.

The two of them were both fallen angels.

And now, with the love and guidance of Patrick and Officer Johnson, she was going heal their broken wings and teach them how to fly.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author Note:<strong> _Don't forget to check out my sequel, and thank you so much again! :D


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